What is IPSF SEP?
Structure of SEP
Who can participate?
Student Exchange Grant
Host a Student
SEP statistics
 
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What is IPSF SEP?
 
The IPSF Student Exchange Programme has allowed students from IPSF member organisations and IPSF Individual Members to explore pharmacy in another country since 1958. Currently, close to 50 associations throughout the world participate in SEP and over 500 international exchanges take place every year.
 
Mobility in pharmacy education is an important factor in preparing pharmacy students to work as health professionals in the dynamic global health care environment. In many countries, lack of opportunity is often compounded by limited access to educational resources and/or innovative teaching methods.
 
Through the Student Exchange Programme, IPSF works to increase opportunities for improvement in pharmacy education through facilitating students and young pharmacists to undertake international professional experiences in:
 
-       Community
-       Hospital
-       Academic
-       Administrative
-       Industrial fields of pharmacy
 
The aim of SEP is to promote understanding and cooperation amongst pharmacy students and all health care professionals. The exchange programme offers a unique educational and cultural experience in addition to the regular pharmaceutical knowledge. It also helps to broaden the students' understanding of pharmaceutical and social conditions in different countries.
 
The programme runs throughout the year, but most exchanges take place between May and September. Each exchange is from one to three months in length. Room and board are usually provided by the host; some countries also provide a small amount of pocket money. Travel expenses and insurance are the responsibility of the student.
 

These links will provide you all details from associations and conditions of SEP:
 
Structure of SEP
 
Chairperson of Student Exchange: They are a member of the executive committee of IPSF elected each year at the annual IPSF congress. The main duty of the Chairperson of Student Exchange is to facilitate the smooth running and organisation of the Student Exchange Programme and to chair the Student Exchange Committee.
 
Student Exchange Commitee (SEC): The Chairperson of Student Exchange appoints the Student Exchange Committee that consists of ten members. The main duty of SEC is to actively provide guidance and ensure the smooth and fair running of the Programme.
 
Student Exchange Officers (SEOs): The Student Exchange Officers represent their organisation that is a member of IPSF. The Student Exchange Officers are responsible for arranging host sites and accommodation for the incoming students and finding places for the outgoing students by contacting other SEOs. They are responsible for the entire process of SEP.
 
Local Exchange Officers (LEOs): In some countries, where the national students’ association is formed by several local ones, the SEO shares the work with one or more Local Exchange Officers
 
 
Who can participate?
 
1. Pharmacy students through an IPSF member association.
2.   IPSF Individual Members only if they are unable to join an IPSF member association.
 
In both categories, only a limited number of students can apply, because there are only a limited number of host sites each year.  
 
If you are a member of an IPSF member association, please contact the IPSF Student Exchange Officer (SEO) in your association for more information on the application procedure. First, check at following link who is your SEO and association:
 
 
If you are member of IPSF member association, contact you SEO for further instructions. The application procedure may involve preselection procedures. You have to pay an application fee of 36 EUR, of which 20 EUR covers the administration costs and 16 EUR goes to the host association or back to you in case you are not placed. The home assocation may ask for a maximum of 108 EUR additionally to cover the costs associated with the organisation of the exchanges.
 
This year 1% places are available for IPSF Individual Members. The application deadline for Individual Members is 1st December, if applying for an exchange between December and March and 1st March if applying for an exchange after March each year. After each deadline a pre-selection procedure will take place and only the selected students can participate in the Student Exchange Programme. The selected students have to pay an application fee of 36 EUR before their applications will be approved.
 
Guidelines for Individual Members download.
 
 
Student Exchange Grant
 
The objective of the Student Exchange Grant is to allow pharmacy students with limited financial resources the opportunity to participate in the IPSF Student Exchange Programme. This is achieved  by providing them with a travel subsidy to help cover costs incurred through the purchase of travel tickets to their host country of preference, while exempting them from payment of the student exchange application fee.
 
Both students and recent graduates applying through an IPSF member association and IPSF Individual Members can apply for the Grant.
 
All students may apply after their AF (application form) is approved in database. There you may download SEP grant application with detailed guidelines.
 
Host a student

A host is a pharmacist or other professional related to the field of pharmacy that provides the work site and/or the board and/or lodging to the Exchange Site.
 
By offering a host site, the host receives highly motivated exchange students to work for them and tell them about pharmacy in their respective countries. This way both the student and the host can learn more about pharmacy on an international level, exchange ideas, and gain unforgettable experiences.
 
The host can select the exchange student(s) they would like to receive and the dates when they are available. There are no regulations on what the host has to provide apart from the work site, but conditions of the exchange must be agreed upon prior to the exchange.
 
If you are interested in hosting a pharmacy student or recent graduate from a different country, please contact the Chairperson of Student Exchange at sep@ipsf.org .
 
Expression of interest form for Hosts for Participation in the IPSF Student Exchange Programme download