Frequently Asked Questions

The Union is aware that the rapidly developing situation regarding COVID-19 will impact seriously on events scheduled to take place over the next few months at least.

We are hopeful that global circumstances will be more favorable by October, in time for the 51st Union World Conference on Lung Health, but we will continue to monitor the situation and the potential impact on the conference closely.

Regular updates will be made available on this website.

Registration for the Union World Conference includes a delegate badge and conference bag, access to all scientific sessions, exhibition area and the scientific poster exhibition, an invitation to the Welcome Reception taking place on Wednesday 20 October and online access to conference presentations at the end of the event.

The registration fee does not include coffee breaks or lunch.

Union member

Discounted registration rates are offered to Union members. Join now to benefit from this and other membership advantages. Read more about Union membership, or contact membership@theunion.org.

Standard registration

This rate is for all non-Union members attending the Union World Conference.

Reduced rate Union Members

This reduced rate applies for Union members who are also a student or a nurse or a resident of a low and lower-middle income country.

Reduced rate

This reduced rate applies for non-Union members whom are students, nurses or residents from low and lower-middle income countries.

• Students: All those in training are eligible for these rates. Delegates registered in this category will need to upload documented proof of enrolment in a University programme when completing their registration.
• Young professionals: All those under 35 years old are eligible for these rates. Delegates registered in this category will need to show proof of age when picking up their badge on site.
• Nurses: Delegates registered in this category will need to upload documented proof from their employer confirming they are engaged as a nurse when completing their registration.
• Low and lower-middle income country residents: Participants residing in countries classified by the World Bank as low or lower-middle income economies may attend the Union World Conference at a reduced rate.

One day registration

Delegates may register for one or two days of the conference, if delegates want a third day they will need to pay for a full conference registration.

Post-graduate course and workshop only registrations

Participants may register for a post-graduate course only.

Workshops are complimentary for registered delegates. Anyone not registered for the full conference but wishing to attend a workshop may register for a single day of the conference.

TBScience 2020

Delegates may register for both the Union World Conference and TBScience 2020.  Delegates may also choose to register for TB Science 2020 only.

TBScience 2020 is an official pre-conference event that will focus on basic and translational TB science to brings together scientists from microbiology, immunology, molecular biology, pharmacology, epidemiology and mathematical modelling to present and discuss recent findings on TB transmission, infection and disease. Additional focus is also given to the development of better vaccines, new drugs and diagnostics for TB.

Reduced rates are available for Union members, students or young professionals, nurses and low- and middle-income country residents. Speakers, chairpersons or abstract reviewers are not entitled to a discount unless they fit in one of the above listed categories.

Reduced rate Union Members

This reduced rate applies for Union members who are also a student or a nurse or a resident of a low and lower-middle income country.

Reduced rate

This reduced rate applies for non-Union members whom are students, nurses or residents from low and lower-middle income countries.

• Students or young professionals: All those in training or under 35 years old are eligible for these rates. Delegates registered in this category will need to show proof of enrolment in a University programme or age when picking up their badge on site.
• Nurses: must present a letter from their employer confirming they are engaged as a nurse when they pick up their registration pack on site.
• Low and lower-middle income country residents: Participants residing in countries classified by the World Bank as low or lower-middle income economies may attend the Union World Conference at a reduced rate.

If your online payment by credit card is not working, you will need to contact your bank.  Some credit cards will not accept international payments unless they have been previously authorised or unless the company is listed as a partner.

For any issues with the registration process, contact our registration service provider at registration-theunion@urevent.fr.

The policy regarding cancellation of paid registrations is as follows:

• Cancellations received before 21 September: full refund minus a 25 euro handling fee.
• No refund on cancellations from 22 September, even if due to visa rejection, illness or other reason.
• All refunds will be paid after the conference.

For more information, email registration-theunion@urevent.fr.

It is possible to transfer an existing registration to another person if you can no longer attend the conference. Residents of low or lower-middle income countries may transfer a registration for a 50-euro fee, and an 80-euro fee for all other participants. Name changes can be made until 21 October. Name changes onsite will be considered as a new registration.

Contact registration-theunion@urevent.fr to request a transfer of registration.

The online programme will be available from the conference website by the end of June and from September on the conference app.

The Union proudly provides a limited number of scholarships to select speakers and presenters of scientific sessions and to participants from affected communities or community volunteers. Individuals from low and lower-middle income countries will be given priority.

The 51st Union World Conference on Lung Health will take place in Seville, Spain, at FIBES, Palacio de Exposiciones y Congresos de Sevilla. Find out more about the venue and get directions.

The 51st Union World Conference on Lung Health has negotiated preferential rates with a range of conveniently located hotels in Seville. The discounted rates are available to all those attending the conference. Find out out more and book your hotel.

It is the delegate’s responsibility to investigate the visa requirements for Spain and apply for a visa, if necessary. Delegates are advised to apply for their visa before travelling to Spain and ensure adequate processing times. Find out more about visas and letters of invitation.

You can find advice and information on the ‘About Seville’ section of this website.

The Union is committed to organising conferences that endeavour to be accessible to all our delegates.

Please use this contact form for any additional questions.

The Union World Conference accepts submissions for abstracts, symposia, post-graduate courses, workshops and satellite sessions on lung health issues such as tuberculosis and TB co-infections, tobacco control, air pollution, COPD, pneumonia, civil society and community engagement, human rights and other topics.

Find out more about abstract and session submissions. Refer to the list of tracks under which abstracts and sessions must be submitted.

Each proposal is peer-reviewed by at least 3 different experts in the field. The Coordinating Committee of Scientific Activities (CCSA) base their programme selection decisions on a series of review criteria for abstracts and for sessions. Read the review criteria, as well as the abstract and session submission guidelines.

The Union’s Abstract Mentor Programme provides an opportunity for individuals with limited experience writing and submitting abstracts to work with a volunteer mentor, an individual with notable experience in writing. The programme is open to everyone, and is completely independent of the abstract review and selection process. It is dependent on volunteer experienced researchers and implementers acting as mentors. Mentors will provide feedback on the content and format of the abstract. Read the information on the programme and instructions to apply. The deadline to send the abstract to receive feedback is 25 March.

• Submissions of abstracts, symposia, post-graduate courses and workshops will close on 14 April.
• Late-breaker abstract submission will be open from 3 to 30 July.
• Satellite session submissions will be open until 6 July with a second round of submissions from 7 July to 7 September, upon availability.

If you want to know more, read our other key dates.

Notifications will be emailed to all authors by 5 June, regardless of the status of their submission. The corresponding authors are requested to check their inbox and spam as the notification will be sent to the email address they confirmed during the submission process. Any enquiries are to be sent to scientific@theunion.org.

The 51st Union World Conference on Lung Health is pleased to offer a series of late-breaker sessions on tuberculosis, HIV-TB and diabetes, and lung health. Late-breaker abstract submissions will open in early July and close by the end of that month.

The members of the Scientific Programme Committee oversee the planning and scheduling of the conference. Because they must focus on the general balance of the programme and minimise the overlap of presentations and sessions, they are the sole authority in charge of scheduling the date and time of programme-related activities.

The current conference format is as follows:

• Day 1 (21 October): Post-graduate courses and workshops will all be scheduled and presented simultaneously. Organisers of these sessions are requested not to propose multiple sessions with the same speakers as they will conflict.
• Day 2, 3 and 4 (22 to 24 October): Symposia, satellite sessions and sessions based on abstracts. Abstract authors and symposia proposers must be ready to present on any of these days.

Due to the large number of submissions and complexity of the careful review process, we are unable to provide specific details for the acceptance and non-acceptance of proposed sessions. Note that the programme committee looks at a number of factors including the balance of the entire scientific programme and repeated speakers, tracks and sessions. Additionally, we receive a large number of presentations and sessions proposals for a small number of slots. Read the review criteria. We regret not to be able to reconsider any rejected presentations/sessions. Other opportunities are offered for you to be able to present your activities: satellite sessions and affiliated independent meetings. Find out more information about satellite sessions. You can also write to scientific@theunion.org to find out about affiliated independent meetings.

Unfortunately no. All abstracts must present original research and at least preliminary results; abstracts reporting data pending will not be accepted. Submission implies that the material has not previously been presented or published elsewhere before presentation at the 51st Union World Conference on Lung Health. Abstracts are placed under embargo until they are presented at the conference. Read the abstract and embargo policy.

Your abstract must be submitted under one of the official tracks of the conference.

Saved proposals can be modified until the submission deadline. Once submitted, proposals can no longer be edited. To edit a submitted abstract (before the deadline), you must delete it and create a new one.

Unfortunately no. Any changes must be introduced before the submission deadline. Beyond the deadline, the system will no longer be available for edition. Presenters can update their abstract when presenting, if they wish to.

Abstract presenters can be changed until the conference. Please email the details of the new presenter (full name, country, email) at scientific@theunion.org. However, please note that the list of authors cannot be changed after the abstract has been submitted.

Delegates who complete the conference evaluation survey will automatically receive a certificate of attendance. Presenters and delegates who did not complete the evaluation should write to scientific@theunion.org to request the link to respond to the evaluation before the deadline.

The 51st Union World Conference on Lung Health in Seville, Spain, will seek for continuing medical education (CME) accreditation in pneumology.