Pharmaciae Sacrum

The Koninklijke Nederlandse Pharmaceutische Studenten Vereniging (Royal Dutch Pharmaceutical Students’ Association or K.N.P.S.V.) is the umbrella organisation for pharmacy and (bio-)pharmaceutical students in the Netherlands. If you are a member of G.F.S.V. “Pharmaciae Sacrum” from Groningen, L.P.S.V. „Aesculapius” from Leiden, U.P.S.V. “Unitas Pharmaceuticorum” from Utrecht, or the “VCSVU” from Amsterdam, you are automatically a member of K.N.P.S.V. This offers various opportunities such as internships, conferences, exchange programs, and international collaborations. Bringing together these different associations creates a strong bond among students from different cities, providing a great chance to meet one another and explore new cities. Each year, the board of the K.N.P.S.V. comes from one of these cities, and this year we are from Leiden!

The 122nd board of K.N.P.S.V.
Anne-Maartje Dolmans    President
Isis Borst                             Secretary
Sven Martens                     Treasurer
Lieke van Megen               Commissioner of International Affairs
Anton Klaassen                 Commissioner of General Affairs

Along with fostering connections between various cities, the K.N.P.S.V. also focuses on professional development. We have close ties with professional associations, including KNMP, VJA, NIA, (Jong)NVZA, and NVKFB. These partnerships give students a chance to explore their future career options. For example, the Snuffelstage (one-day internship) program, created in collaboration with these associations, lets students spend a day in a public pharmacy, hospital pharmacy, or the pharmaceutical industry. Curious about what a day in Research & Development looks like? The K.N.P.S.V. can easily arrange that! Click here for a link to the K.N.P.S.V.-Website and check out all our activities and committees!

History
The K.N.P.S.V. is the umbrella organisation for all (bio-)pharmaceutical students in the Netherlands. It was founded on May 22, 1903, as the “General Dutch Pharmaceutical
Students' Association” (A.N.P.S.V.). At the time, it was the umbrella association for the student associations “Luctor et Emergo” (Amsterdam), L.P.S.V. „Aesculapius” (Leiden) and U.P.S.V. “Unitas Pharmaceuticorum” (Utrecht). In 1905, G.F.S.V. “Pharmaciae Sacrum” also joined the A.N.P.S.V. Due to academic restructuring in the early 1980s, the pharmacy program in Amsterdam was discontinued, and with it, “Luctor et Emergo” disappeared. This left the A.N.P.S.V. with three departments. In 2003, when the A.N.P.S.V. celebrated its 100th anniversary, it was granted the right to use the title ‘Royal’. Since then, our beloved association has been known as K.N.P.S.V., a name we are proud of, as we are the only study-related student association that may carry this title!
Since November 14, 2020, the Vereniging van Chemie Studenten aan de Vrije Universiteit (VCSVU), the association of pharmaceutical sciences in Amsterdam, has been a member of K.N.P.S.V., bringing the total to four departments once again.

Objectives
The primary aim of the K.N.P.S.V. is to represent the interests of all (bio-)pharmaceutical students in the Netherlands. The K.N.P.S.V. has four main objectives:
- To foster contact among students from the four different cities through activities of the K.N.P.S.V.
- To maintain close ties with various professional associations, through which we organize events for future career exploration. This way, you might even meet your future employer!
- To represent the interests of Dutch (bio-)pharmaceutical students internationally, within EPSA and IPSF.
- To keep members informed of social issues and policies, especially new developments in the pharmaceutical world or major governmental decisions. We keep you updated through our social media channels, so be sure to follow us!

Activities and Committees
The K.N.P.S.V. organises various activities through its committees. The main event is the annual K.N.P.S.V.-Congress, organized by the Congress Committee during the Ascension weekend. The Congress offers an enjoyable blend of educational and social activities, including a symposium, workshops, sports events, a goodwill activity, and the Congress General Assembly. Additionally, the International Committee organizes the TWIN (see below), the Sports Committee hosts a Sports Day and a yearly Hockey Tournament, the Folia Pharmaceutica association magazine is published four times annually, and every two years, a Career Day is held. These committees consist of members from a single city or are inter-city. If you’re interested in joining a committee of the K.N.P.S.V., feel free to speak to the board of the K.N.P.S.V. at any G.F.S.V. “Pharmaciae Sacrum” event or fill out the interest form on our website: knpsv.nl.

International
The K.N.P.S.V. is a member of two international organisations for (bio-)pharmaceutical students: the European Pharmaceutical Students' Association (EPSA) and the International Pharmaceutical Students Federation (IPSF).
- EPSA
EPSA is the European counterpart of the K.N.P.S.V., with nearly all European countries offering pharmacy programs, a total of 37! Together with EPSA, we organise the annual TWIN, an exchange project where we travel to another country to learn about their academic pharmaceutical world and culture for a weekend, and they also come to the Netherlands for a weekend. EPSA also organises an international congress twice a year in different countries. These congresses include an educational program along with plenty of social and cultural activities. Each summer, EPSA also hosts a Summer University in a warm European country. This seven-day Summer University is the perfect way to combine vacation with study-related activities and to meet
international (bio-)pharmaceutical students.
- IPSF
IPSF spans 88 countries and organises a range of projects as the worldwide association for (bio-)pharmaceutical students. It hosts an annual World Congress, similar in
structure to an EPSA congress. There is also the Student Exchange Program (SEP), which allows (bio-)pharmaceutical students to complete an internship abroad for several weeks or months. These internships usually take place in summer, so you don’t miss out on classes—a great chance to experience pharmacy in your dream country and enjoy a fantastic holiday at the same time!

General Assembly
At least three times a year, the boards of the K.N.P.S.V. organises a General Assembly for all its members. The board presents its activities and discussions are held on decisions and proposals. Members can have a significant influence on the association's policy during the General Assembly. So don’t hesitate to make your voice heard and to participate!