IAPB launches Young Systems Leader Awards

The International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) has launched a new award initiative recognising early career professionals driving change in eye health.

The IAPB Young Systems Leader Awards will aim to amplify the voices of professionals under the age of 35 in the eye health sector working to tackle avoidable sight loss.

In particular, the awards look to celebrate individuals who are focused on changing systems around eye health, and who “embody critical systems thinking.”

IAPB president, Caroline Casey, commented: “The future of eye health rests on the shoulders of this next generation. The IAPB Young Systems Leader Awards celebrate the brilliance, enthusiasm, and collaborative spirit that will define the future of eye health and change the lives of so many for the better.

“By investing in these inspiring young professionals, IAPB wants to empower them to champion systems change and ensure everyone, everywhere, has access to quality eye care,” she added.

The awards will recognise up to 10 individuals, IAPB shared, based on a commitment to ‘systems thinking.’

IAPB suggested nominees will be passionate about embracing innovation and adaptability, forging cross-sectoral collaborations, piloting new approaches and ideas, fostering a culture of learning and knowledge sharing, and shifting from reactive problem-solving to proactive planning.

Award recipients will present at 2030 In Sight Live Mexico and benefit from a customised online workshop programme covering systems leadership, IAPB’s 2030 In Sight Strategy, public speaking and networking.

The winners will have meetings arranged to network with the IAPB president and senior-level professionals, and an opinion piece or Q&A with the winners will be published on the IAPB Knowledge Hub and social media.

IAPB highlighted that the awards initiative reflects the ambitions of its 2030 In Sight Strategy to drive the eye health sector to embrace a holistic systems approach, seamlessly integrating eye care in health systems and demonstrating its role in other sectors.

Nominations for the awards are exclusive to IAPB member organisations, opened on 12 February and close on 4 March.

Candidates must be under 35 years of age as of 30 June 2024 and must be available on 26–27 June to attend the online programme and 2030 In Sight Live Mexico.