When Science Connects: A Winning Partnership for The Hague

Bringing an international scientific congress to a destination takes more than a compelling bid. It requires passion, expertise, trust and, above all, strong partnerships. The successful bid to host the 27th International Academy of Legal Medicine (IALM) Congress in The Hague in 2027 is a wonderful example of this in action.

At The Hague & Partners Convention Bureau, supporting international associations and local scientific leaders in bringing their congresses to our city is at the heart of what we do. For the IALM Congress, this meant working closely with the Local Organising Committee, led by Dr Bart Latten of the Netherlands Forensic Institute and Professor Wilma Duijst of Maastricht University.
From the initial pre-bid through to the full bid proposal, the process brought together the expertise of several organisations, each contributing to a shared ambition. Congress by design played an important role, providing valuable professional insights and support with budgeting and financial planning, helping the committee develop a realistic and competitive proposal.

Stuart Payne, International Congress Advisor at The Hague & Partners Convention Bureau, reflects on the collaboration:
"What made this journey so rewarding was the genuine passion and commitment of the local organising committee. Our role was to support their ambition, connect the right people and bring together the expertise needed to give the bid the best possible chance of success. Having trusted partners such as Congress by design involved made a real difference."
 

The collaboration continued through to the final round, with The Hague & Partners supporting the committee in preparing the final pitch presentation. The combined efforts ultimately resulted in The Hague being selected as the host destination for 2027.
But the value of this partnership extends beyond winning the bid. With preparations now underway, attention is turning to the scientific programme and the opportunities the congress will create for international knowledge exchange, professional connections and future collaboration.

"Winning the bid was already a fantastic achievement for everyone involved, but in many ways, it is just the beginning. We are excited to see the programme come together and to welcome the international forensic medicine community to The Hague. Ultimately, it is about creating the right environment for science to connect, ideas to develop and relationships to continue long after the congress has finished."

The IALM Congress demonstrates how collaboration between scientific leaders, professional congress organisers and destination partners can turn a shared ambition into reality.
As Congress by design celebrates 20 years of connecting communities and creating impact, this partnership offers a fitting example of what can be achieved together, with the most exciting chapter still to come.

Stuart Payne
International Congress Advisor
The Hague & Partners Convention Bureau