News

Dear PReS members,  

The following positions in PReS Council will be appointed this year, to take effect from the General Assembly in Belgrade, September 2026: 

1. Chair, Education and Training Committee 

2. Chair, Research Committee 

3. Chair, Clinical Affairs Committee 

4. Chair, Health Professionals  

TERM 

September 2026 – September 2030 

In accordance with the PReS bylaws and to ensure a smooth transition between the current and future Chairs, all Council members are elected for a term of one plus three years; one year as an Elect member and 3 years as a Full member. All Council members begin their term following the AGM in which they are announced as elected Council members. 

Potential candidates 

As a member of the PReS Council, individuals have a legal and fiduciary duty to act in the best interests of the Society and in accordance with its statutes, policies, and applicable laws. Council members are expected to exercise due care, loyalty, and diligence, including appropriate oversight of the Society’s activities and finances, management of conflicts of interest, and respect for confidentiality. They also have a moral responsibility to act ethically, contribute constructively to governance, uphold the values and reputation of PReS, and support its longterm sustainability. 

PReS Council are looking for exceptional candidates who are fully committed to contributing to and advancing the goals of the Society, in particular the PReS mission. In view of the seniority and responsibility associated with these roles, the current Council is seeking candidates who have already demonstrated commitment and taken on senior position(s) of responsibility within PReS. They would be expected to have had senior positions within their own local / national context (and preferably also internationally), in which they have had roles and responsibilities demonstrating outstanding leadership qualities, senior management experience, and leadership of large, multi-professional teams.  

The current PReS Council is looking for excellent team players with a clear vision of the future of pediatric rheumatology, willing to explore new ideas and able spend and invest time to contribute to the future of PReS. The Council should reflect gender balance and geographical representation, where possible. 

Role descriptions 

1. Chair, Education and Training Committee 

The Education and Training Chair plays a pivotal role in shaping and advancing the educational and training mission of PReS. Working in close partnership with other PReS Chairs, the role contributes to strategic and interactive discussions at Council meetings and remains actively engaged throughout the full term of office. The Chair leads the Education and Training Committee (ETC) and supports the development of current and future generations of paediatric rheumatologists and allied health professionals worldwide. 

Key responsibilities include: 

• Providing leadership and strategic oversight of the PReS Education and Training Committee and its core activities. 

• Leading the development and implementation of European Training Requirements (Syllabus) for Paediatric Rheumatology. 

• Overseeing PReS educational initiatives, including the PReS webinar series (PReS School Advanced Webinars and the PReS Introductory Course), the PReS KnowledgeBased Examination, and the PReS Sister Hospital Initiative. 

• Supporting the planning and delivery of basic and advanced educational courses under the umbrella of the PReS Academy, in close collaboration with other Council members. 

• Coordinating with national representatives to maintain uptodate information on the status and development of paediatric rheumatology across different countries. 

• Working closely with other members of the PReS Council to support Global Task Force projects. 

• Representing PReS in external organisations, including the European Academy of Paediatrics, UEMS (European Union of Medical Specialists), and actively involved with EULAR. 

2. Chair, Research Committee 

The Research Chair plays a pivotal role in advancing the research mission of PReS. Working in close partnership with PReS Chairs, the role contributes to strategic and interactive discussions at Council meetings and remains actively engaged throughout the full term of office. The Chair leads the Research SubCommittee and supports the development of a coherent, highquality, and collaborative research environment across PReS. 

Key responsibilities include: 

• Fostering excellence and supporting the advancement of clinical, basic, and translational research across PReS, in close collaboration with key partners. 

• Strengthening and connecting networks of researchers across countries working on paediatric rheumatic diseases. 

• Working closely with the Chairs and Research Leads of the PReS Working Parties, building on the PRESTAR structure to deliver an integrated and coherent PReS Research Strategy. 

• Collaborating with EMERGE and Health Professionals to support the next generation of research leaders and promote multidisciplinary research. 

• Strengthening research training by supporting education in epidemiology, biostatistics, omics, bioinformatics, and emerging technologies, and by actively engaging earlycareer researchers. 

• Promoting patientoriented research by involving ENCA and patient communities in study design, priority setting, and dissemination. 

• Overseeing PReS research funding programmes, ensuring transparent evaluation processes and strong support for earlycareer investigators. 

3. Clinical Affairs 

The Clinical Affairs Chair plays a pivotal role in shaping and advancing the clinical mission of PReS. Working in close partnership with the Education and Research Chairs, the role contributes to strategic, interactive discussions at Council meetings and maintains active engagement throughout the full term. The Chair serves as a key clinical voice (instructed by the Working Parties) within PReS, helping to translate evidence, experience, and innovation into meaningful improvements in care. 

Key responsibilities include: 

• Providing leadership and expert input on clinical diagnosis, management, and standards of care in paediatric rheumatology. The Chair is the liaison person of the PRES Working Parties in the PRES council. 

• Actively contributing to the PReS website, ensuring highquality, uptodate clinical content, including literature updates, validated questionnaires and tools across disease areas, and regularly updated PReS clinical guidelines. 

• Supporting and endorsing Working Parties activities (Clinical, Educational and Research) and their elections 

• Playing an integral role in the PReS Fellowship Programme, in close collaboration with EMERGE, to support the development of the next generation of paediatric rheumatologists. 

• Strengthening collaboration and alignment between PReS Working Parties, EMERGE, and ENCA, fostering a cohesive and clinically relevant network across PReS. 

• Supporting the planning and delivery of highquality educational activities, including basic and advanced courses, in close collaboration with the Chair of Education. 

• The clinical voice of PReS in the EULAR PAED Committee 

• One of the Scientific Committee members of PRESTAR 

• Co-responsible for the patient information (of the Working Parties) at the PRESTAR website 

4.Chair, Health Professionals (HP) 

The Health Professionals Chair plays a pivotal role in representing and advancing the multidisciplinary Health Professional community within PReS. Working in close partnership with other members of the PReS Council, the role contributes to strategic and interactive discussions at Council meetings and remains actively engaged throughout the full term of office. The Chair ensures strong Health Professional representation, inclusivity, and visibility across all PReS activities. 

Key responsibilities include: 

• Representing the Health Professional community within PReS and advocating for its inclusion and active involvement in all PReS activities and within the PReS Council. 

• Encouraging and supporting the professional development of Health Professionals working in paediatric rheumatology. 

• Promoting inclusivity across all multidisciplinary groups involved in paediatric rheumatology care. 

• Leading engagement within the Health Professional community through newsletters, support meetings, and educational opportunities. 

• Facilitating and encouraging Health Professional participation in wider PReS initiatives and opportunities. 

• Organising and overseeing the Health Professional scientific and educational stream at the PReS Annual Congress. 

Nominations and elections 

In line with the PReS bylaws, we will be undertaking a democratic process open to all PReS Members. The positions are all open to nominations. An anonymous, electronic election will take place in the early summer.  

• Only PReS Members in good standing with the Society will be eligible to send in an nomination 

• The members of the Council shall be elected for a non-renewable term of three years plus one as position-Elect. 

• The elected members of the Council must work actively in the field of paediatric rheumatology. 

• The members of the Council, Executive Committee and subcommittees shall work on a voluntary basis and shall only be entitled to claim a refund of their effective expenses and travelling costs. 

To Apply 

In order to apply, all candidates will need to send the following to Info-PReS@wearemci.com: 

• a CV 

• a professional biography 

• a letter of motivation  

• a short 1 minute video outlining what your vision for the Chair position would be. 

The deadline for all applications is 17.00hrs (CET) on Friday 25 April. 

Please note, elections will take place electronically amongst PReS members in May. Only those with up-to-date PReS Membership will be eligible to vote. 

The results will be formally announced at the PReS AGM in Belgrade, 2026.