Thank you to all those who joined us for our 13th Biennial Conference in Hobart!
The Oceania Academy of Cerebral Palsy and other Childhood-onset Disabilities held the 13th Biennial Conference on 4-7 March 2026, in the beautiful city of Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. The conference theme Transforming Care Across Oceans attracted 653 delegates from 36 countries, making this a truly international conference.
The conference program was extensive, comprising six preconference workshops, 18 breakfast seminars, 18 instructional workshops, 187 oral presentations and 60 posters. We introduced a new initiative with 10 “skills labs” featured across the program which were heavily attended. The calibre of the research presented was exceptional. People with lived experience made a substantial contribution to the program and the central involvement of people with lived experience in research aligns with the values and Strategy of the Oceania Academy. We had renowned national and international keynote speakers with diverse topics ranging from global health, population-specific health and wellbeing, Pacific health, Artificial Intelligence, physical activity, co-design, advocacy and systems change and lived experience. The Academy welcomed and supported scholarship winners from Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, New Zealand, Fiji and Australia and enjoyed their contribution to the conference.
The Academy continues its commitment to equity, with the conference delivered as fully hybrid. Delegates will be able to access the recordings of the conference content for up to six months. The Oceania Academy was excited to announce the location for our 14th Biennial Conference in 2028 – Christchurch, New Zealand. We look forward to welcoming you to Christchurch.