26 Sep 2011IBMS CEO outlines plans for the Institute

IBMS Chief Executive Jill Rodney speaking at Congress 2011

Speaking at her first Congress as Chief Executive of the IBMS, Jill Rodney gave a plenary speech that outlined the IBMS future plans.

The Council and Jill have worked on a new Corporate Strategy that identifies membership development, professional standard setting, advocacy and organisational robustness as key areas of focus. As part of this, she announced that the Institute is undertaking a wide reaching member research project to help inform membership service development.

Jill, who joined the IBMS at the start of this year, also reflected on the organisation's many strengths and successes including Congress itself, with over 2,000 delegates it is one of the largest gatherings of the biomedical science community. However, she also acknowledged that in these challenging times the Institute has to do more to meet the needs of members. She noted that the NHS cuts agenda is already starting to affect members and their workplaces.

Jill spoke of "Maintaining our relevance to existing members, establishing our relevance to the new and emerging workforce."

During her 'Fit for purpose, fit for the future' presentation, she also outlined the Institute's plans to reach new markets in order to expand the knowledge base of membership and to help the Institute with its plan to raise the profile of biomedicine in society in general with press and policy work.

She went on to add: "We aim to be the world’s leading membership body for biomedical science...with 20,000 members we can be the voice for biomedical science."

"The Institute's services must be appropriate to the changing work environment. This is a new beginning for the IBMS so that we can remain relevant and important."

She closed her speech by reflecting on the fact the IBMS will celebrate its centenary next year and that the Institute will be taking time to reflect on the achievements of the profession during this time. But it will also be a chance for the profession to look to the future and consider what technological advancements and developments in science in general will bring to the profession.

She finished by saying that "biomedical science is the science of today, tomorrow and the next 100 years".