WUWHS 2016 bid

The AWMA/New Zealand Wound Care Society joint bid for hosting the 2016 WUWHS meeting in Brisbane has not suceeded.

The WUWHS Congress in Yokohama was presented with 2 bids- ours and a bid from Italian wound healing societies to hold the meeting in Florence. Despite a huge effort over the preceeding 2 years and a final frantic round of lobbying, the vote was 20 to 40 in favour of the Italian bid. Australia and New Zealand will of course fully support the 2016 WUWHS meeting in Florence.

As bid Chair, I was in awe at the efforts and enthusiasm of our bid team, and those other AWMA members who assisted setting up and manning our stand in Yokohama. We have reached out to most countries represented at the Yokohama meeting and our profile is much higher than ever as a result of this bid. I feel we have a much higher chance of success for a 2020 bid, and we may further enhance that with new partnerships and alliances. The team from the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, and Brisbane Marketting, have been excellent to work with, and supported our bid with a huge amount of labour and well in excess of $50,000 in direct expences. I thank them for this and hope, indeed expect, to be working with them again for our next bid.

The big winner in this is the WUWHS. Some have thought it to be on shakey grounds over the last few years, but it is clear that, at least as far as the 4 yearly meetings go, it is sound and indeed thriving.The big challenge will be to also keep it active and achieving goals in the intervening periods- this was a key pillar to our bid, and will remain so for our next bid.

Associate Professor Michael Woodward

Australian WUWHS bid website