The International Academy of Legal Medicine was founded in 1938 in Bonn, Germany, and is the longest-standing as well as one of the most prestigious International Scientific Associations in the field of Legal Medicine and the Biomedicolegal Sciences, its Members consisting of those Scientists and Professionals involved in the practise and development of the Bio-Medicolegal and Forensic Sciences.

The aim of the Academy is to promote the development of the Bio-Medicolegal Sciences into a mature field of multidisciplinary research, enhancing competitive peer-reviewed research, information sharing and trans-national educational programmes, as well as improving the accuracy, precision and reliability of Biomedicolegal practice in the various sub-disciplines.

During my mandate as President of the Academy, which commenced in January of 2013, I envision a greater scope for fostering relationships of collaboration between IALM and other National and International Societies, and it is with this in mind that we have established 6 new Continental Sections representing the Middle East, the Far East, North America, Central – South America and Oceania, each led by a related Referent with the task of cultivating and maintaining collaborative alliances both within and beyond the particular area in which they operate.

In light of the aforementioned ethos, a newly updated IALM Website with a number of innovative features has been created, including the seven distinct Continental Sections of IALM, each consisting of State Member Sections and enabling IALM Members from each State to put on the Website content relating to their own country, including National Journals and National Societies, Institutes and International Collaboration. The intrinsic nature of the Website is that of a forum fostering cross-cultural communication and sharing of information, knowledge and projects, as well as providing notification of Meetings and Conferences in the Member Countries. In addition, a regular Newsletter has been created, circulated via email to IALM Members, detailing Congresses, Conferences and Meetings to be held, which are of interest to the field of Forensic Medicine, along with brief descriptions of these events.

A number of innovative statute modifications, to be ratified during the next General Assembly of IALM, have been formulated in order to facilitate communication, the spread of information and news of scientific initiatives within IALM itself, but also with those outside of the Academy.

As such, the Academy, in order to attract new members from the Developing Countries, has introduced a Reduced Membership Fee for those practitioners and academics originating from the aforementioned Countries.

In addition, the creation of a network of communication between IALM and the main European National Societies and Associations in the field of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences, with a view to improving to improving the diffusion of information regarding Congresses, Meetings and Scientific Research will be implemented.

The Organization of a IALM Symposium in Venice, at the end of October in 2016, in addition to the Main Triennial IALM Congress to be held in Dubai in January 2015, is currently underway. On behalf of IALM I would therefore like to extend the invitation to attend the aforementioned initiatives and to wish to all of you the best success in your future work.

Correspondence address:

Prof. Santo Davide Ferrara

Hospital - University of Padova

Via Falloppio 50, I-35121 Padova, Italy

santodavide.ferrara@unipd.it

presidente.medicinachirurgia@unipd.it

president@ialm.info