Strategic Workshops for ECTRIMS

The Challenge

It is estimated that 2.8 million people around the globe are living with Multiple Sclerosis¹ (MS) – a neurological condition that affects the Central Nervous System.

The European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) facilitates communication, creates synergies, and promotes and enhances research and learning among professionals for the ultimate benefit of people affected by MS.

Since 1984, the ECTRIMS Congress stands as the premier global event for researchers, clinicians, and healthcare providers dedicated to advancing the field of MS and related diseases.

In the last decade, ECTRIMS has greatly expanded its scope of work to engage with global partners and stakeholders, provide a year-round learning library, and organise schools, workshops and fellowships to ensure the next generation of MS specialists have the best possible developmental environment.

ECTRIMS’ challenge was to keep generating outstanding scientific content and maintaining wider outreach whilst efficiently leveraging its volunteer and staff resources.

Given the range of commitments the volunteer experts in the Executive Committee undertake, it was imperative that the strategic process could be effective and impactful without demanding long additional meetings.

The Journey

Working closely with the ECTRIMS secretariat team, a project plan was devised which comprised three workshops attached to existing scientific meetings the Executive Committee members would already be attending.

The first two strategy sessions were half-day workshops, the third allowed for two half-day sessions (afternoon and following morning).

The short duration of the sessions meant that detailed preparation and careful selection of focus areas was crucial for success.

For the first session, the focus was on analysing ECTRIMS’ recent performance based on datasets from the Congress, online activities and combining third-party sources to understand the potential audience and demand. This would provide a solid foundation and common understanding to base the strategic discussions on.

The second session looked closely at the key stakeholders and partners ECTRIMS engages and collaborates with, both in Europe and around the world. This helped clarify the areas where ECTRIMS leadership was vital, those where ECTRIMS played more of a supporting role, and identify win-win scenarios.

Finally, the third workshop was geared towards decision making for the upcoming budget cycle. This kicked off with discussion created by Exempla around contemporary association leadership challenges and how they influence decision making. The focus then shifted to applying the outcomes of the previous workshops, assessing the implementation requirements for the new opportunities identified and understanding implications for the business and operating model.

For each workshop, Exempla collaborated with the ECTRIMS secretariat team to select the most relevant data, analyse historical performance and illustrate the professional environment the association was operating in.

This led to the creation of specific exercises based around small-group and full Executive Committee discussions facilitated by the Exempla consultant so that clear, concrete outcomes resulted from each session.

The Result

Exempla finalised the project by providing a high-level summary of the key outcomes from the 3 strategic workshops and a quick reference guide to the key conclusions stemming from the final workshop. An additional section highlighted specific recommendations based on Exempla’s experience.

The format was designed to help the ECTRIMS Executive Committee and Secretariat efficiently move forward with their detailed operational and budget planning.

Having analysed the process from a strategic perspective, Exempla grouped the outcomes into 4 key areas:

1. ECTRIMS place in the wider MS world – stakeholders and community around the globe
2. ECTRIMS in Europe – its core stakeholders, community and governance matters
3. ECTRIMS scientific leadership – further advancing its role as the global reference
4. The business model of ECTRIMS – funding sources and investments

Entering 2025, ECTRIMS was well placed to further advance its mission, launching a brand-new “myECTRIMS” online platform to provide an integrated year-round learning and community experience in addition to its world-leading in-person events.

Lear more about ECTRIMS at https://ectrims.eu

1 Atlas of MS 3rd edition, published by MS International Federation