Being able to have a conversation with associations about something more than room specifications and cost proposals shows that you understand that an association is so much more than just organising meetings. Dermot Ryan, ICCA Head of Association Engagement, sat down with Joëlle Verluyten, Executive Director of the European AIDS Clinical Society (EACS) to talk about the importance of impact for EACS and her experience attending the ICCA Association Impact Masterclass (AIM) in Dublin in 2025.  

 

Dermot: Thanks for taking the time to join us, Joëlle. Can you start by telling us something about EACS and what you do. 

Joëlle: Great to talk to you and share some insights. EACS is a European association committed to improving HIV prevention and care across Europe and beyond. A central part of our work is hosting the biennial European AIDS Conference, an essential international meeting for those working in HIV. Alongside the conference, we deliver a wide range of education and training programmes to ensure that clinicians, researchers and healthcare professionals are equipped with the knowledge needed to provide the best possible care. We also develop the EACS Guidelines and auditable standards, helping to promote and strengthen high, evidence-based standards of care across diverse healthcare systems. Together, these activities allow us to translate scientific progress into better and more equitable care. 

 

Dermot: How important is engaging with the host destination when you bring your biennial Conference there? Is this an expectation when cities bid? Can it make a difference in deciding where to go?  

Joëlle:  It is essential for us. A conference of this scale works best when it is developed in partnership with the host city. We look for destinations that are ready to partner with our local co-chairs from the start. Strong collaboration is central to the success of the EACS Conference and can shape our final decision.  

 

Dermot: Tell us about your impact journey. 

Joëlle:  We have been talking about impact and legacy at EACS since 2020, and I felt it was important to bring more clarity and direction, not only for myself but also for the team and the Conference organising committee. I wanted tools to help us be clearer about what we are trying to achieve and how we get there. The ICCA Association Masterclass (AIM) helped us put that into practice. Working on the Theory of Change with other associations and venues created honest conversations that were sometimes challenging, but always constructive. 

With my team and the local conference organising committee, we applied the framework to the Legacy project for the 20th European AIDS Conference (EACS 2025) in Paris last October. It also led me to step back and rethink parts of our broader strategy, and that reflection still shapes how we approach partnerships and decisions today. 

 

Dermot: Can you tell us one learning? 

Joëlle:  Personally, the main shift for me was moving from outputs to outcomes. It made me pause and ask more honestly what change we are really trying to create. 

 

Dermot: … and one surprise? 

Joëlle:  One surprise for me was realising how much stronger storytelling becomes when it is intentionally structured. When it is connected to a clear impact framework, it becomes more powerful. 

 

  • You can find out more about the conference legacy of EACS2025 here. 
  • The deadline for the ICCA-Best Cities Global Alliance Incredible Impacts Awards 2026 is 2 June 2026! Find out more about the programme, learn about past winners and nominate an association you are working with to create impact at https://www.incredibleimpacts.com. 
  • The next edition of the ICCA Association Masterclass in July is hosted by Luxembourg Convention Bureau.