History

The European Epilepsy Academy - EUREPA - is the agency which, as part of the European structure of the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) , takes responsibility for improving epileptological knowledge and consequently the quality of care throughout Europe.

EUREPA is building up a network of co-ordinated, certified epileptological education activities throughout Europe.

EUREPA offers and develops distance education courses via the e-learning platform „Virtual Epilepsy Academy“ VirEpA.

EUREPA trainer courses with multinational participation ensure epileptological quality education in many European languages.

EUREPA initiates and co-ordinates concerted research on matters relating to epilepsy, which are particularly well-suited for supranational European action.

EUREPA was developed on behalf of the European Advisory Council (EAC), the council of all European ILAE chapters, by the Commission on European Affairs (CEA) of the ILAE. This came about because of the perception of the importance of improving epileptological education and coordinating quality of care throughout Europe. In its meeting of September 1 ^st, 1996, the CEA resolved to transfer all responsibility for teaching and research to EUREPA.

EUREPA was founded on August 31 ^st, 1996 in Den Haag (Netherlands). The founding members comprised European ILAE chapters and epilepsy centres as well as prominent European epileptologists. The base for EUREPA is in Bielefeld (Germany) where it was incorporated as a legal association on March 3 ^rd, 1997. The Academy was accorded the legal status as a non-profit organization on August 11 ^th, 1997.