Since 1993, The Cochrane Collaboration has been conducting annual conferences (Colloquia) in order to allow Cochrane contributors, partners and newcomers to Cochrane to meet, network, stimulate, learn from each other, and collaborate with the purpose of advancing Cochrane's work in evidence-informed healthcare.
These annual Colloquia provide an opportunity to meet the ongoing challenges of producing, maintaining and disseminating high quality systematic reviews that address questions of importance to health globally, and in promoting evidence-informed healthcare. Colloquia provide the host country or region a unique opportunity to have a major impact on health decision making at a national and regional level. They also serve as an opportunity to raise the profile of Cochrane as a whole.
Upto 1200 participants, including leading international names in various branches of healthcare, take part in these Colloquia. The scientific programme, traditionally designed to cater to a broad group of people involved in evidence-based healthcare, include:
- up to six plenary sessions featuring world-renowned speakers who may either be from within the organisation or from related fields
- more than 60 workshops tailored specifically to advancing participants’ knowledge in their ongoing work as Cochranites
- more than a 100 oral presentations to keep participants up-to-date with new challenges and possibilities and
- over 200 scientific posters.
In 2013, with its 21st Cochrane Colloquium, Cochrane celebrated 20 years of its existence. The multi-lingual theme of the colloquium, held at Quebec, Canada, was 'Better Knowledge for Better Health | Un meilleur savoir pour une meilleure santé’. The colloquia of the previous two years included the 2012 colloquium at New Zealand themed ‘Evidence around the globe’ and the 2011 colloquium at Spain themed ‘Scientific evidence for healthcare quality and patient safety'.
Cochrane Colloquium 2014: Sept 21 – 26| the Hyderabad International Convention Centre| Hyderabad, India
Cochrane South Asia is privileged to host the Cochrane Colloquium in September 2014, and this will be the first time that a Cochrane Colloquium is being held in South Asia. The venue for the 2014 Colloquium is the Hyderabad International Convention Centre (HICC) in Hyderabad city. HICC is India’s largest and most technologically advanced convention facility.
The Cochrane Collaboration's Board of Trustees acepted the invitation of the South Asian Cochrane Centre to host the 2014 Cochrane Colloquium in Hyderabad at their meeting held in Auckland, New Zealand in October 2012.
The 2014 Hyderabad Colloquium will also celebrate Cochrane's 21st anniversary. The theme of the Colloquium, 'Evidence-Informed Public Health: Opportunities and Challenges' provides participants of the Colloquium a platform to discuss ways in which Cochrane evidence, and Cochrane methods that have evolved, and been refined, over the past two decades, can contribute to improving public health globally and regionally; given the context-specific challenges faced by health systems and organizations involved in delivering public health and developing public health policies.
We extend to you a warm Invitation to Hyderabad
The South Asian Cochrane Network & Centre