About EHPG
The European Health Policy Group (EHPG) is an informal, collegial, and multidisciplinary network dedicated to stimulating international collaboration and learning in health policy. Founded in 2001 by Prof. Gwyn Bevan and Dr. Adam Oliver at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), the EHPG hosts two annual meetings focusing on comparative analysis of changes in European healthcare systems.
The objectives of these meetings are to learn from the experiences of different countries and diverse disciplines, and to foster cross-country and cross-discipline collaboration. The annual Spring meeting is held in a different country each year, organized by local institutions, offering insights into the host country's healthcare system and policies. The annual Autumn meeting is hosted by the LSE’s Department of Health Policy.
Meeting format
EHPG meetings offer a platform for presenting and discussing scientific research papers in development, covering a broad spectrum of European health policy, health system governance, and health services and management research. Participants are expected to have read the papers in advance and to actively contribute to the discussion.
Discussants play a crucial role at EHPG meetings. They introduce the paper, summarize its main findings, comment on its strengths and weaknesses, and suggest ways to enhance the argument or analysis. Additionally, they often provide insights based on their own discipline or country background. The goal of the discussion is to help authors improve their papers through constructive and friendly criticism.
Each session begins with the Chair introducing the author(s), discussant(s), and the title of the paper(s) to be presented and discussed. Chairs structure the discussion to facilitate learning about different countries and disciplines, aiming to generate a general discussion among participants rather than a series of questions directed solely at the authors.
Paper requirements
Papers should be approximately 5,000 words in length, though shorter or longer submissions are also accepted.
Authors must submit their draft papers about two weeks before the meeting to allow discussants and participants sufficient time to prepare.
Participant fees
A participation fee is charged to cover organizational costs, and we strive to keep this fee as low as possible. A dinner will be organized on the evening of the first day. Participants are responsible for their own travel and accommodation expenses.