Growing ESCRS’s reach across Europe and beyond

ESCRS has an 8,200-strong membership, extensive scientific and educational activity and a respected congress. Its programmes, committees, events, publications and digital platforms were not always connected around one growth strategy. Relationships with European national societies also needed to become more active, moving beyond affiliation in name towards regular communication, shared activity and greater involvement. ESCRS needed a transparent management partnership that strengthened the value offered to existing members and created clearer pathways for new societies and ophthalmologists to engage. 

Since becoming ESCRS’s full-service association management and consultancy partner in 2021, MCI has connected association management, commercial strategy, Annual Congress and Winter Meeting delivery, education, publishing, marketing and digital development across teams in the UK, Switzerland and the US. Regular cross-office meetings, shared protocols and close account leadership keep activity aligned. 

MCI UK leads the association management and consultancy work. This includes day-to-day operations, governance and committee support, strategic coordination, education and research, membership and engagement, marketing and digital development. The UK office also holds the main relationship with ESCRS and coordinates the work across the other MCI teams. 

MCI Switzerland leads the delivery of ESCRS’s large-scale scientific meetings and congresses. The Swiss team was brought in because of its specialist expertise in managing large-scale events in the health-care sector. 

MCI USA supports the production of ESCRS’s publication, EuroTimes. The team provides specialist publishing expertise, including content, design and production coordination, while MCI UK team leads relationship management and strategy. 

Growth initiatives included proactive engagement with European and Global societies and new individual members, ESCRS academies at partner events, membership outreach at congresses, a rebuilt website bringing 11 sites into one searchable platform, the accredited iLearn portal which has now become part of a new learning management system called the Learning Hub, masterclasses, webinars and a bespoke IOL calculator that compares seven lens-calculation tools from one set of patient data. MCI also connected year-round marketing, media storytelling, social media, email and a Congress press office, helping ESCRS turn scientific content and member value into wider reach, stronger engagement and new opportunities to join. 

The Congress programme evolved to give delegates more ways to learn, practise and exchange ideas. The ESCRS Arena, introduced in 2023, brought a boxing-ring format to Pro / Con debates and delegate interaction. Subsequent editions added immersive experiences, including an Escape Room and Cataract Surgery Training Lab, followed by World Café discussions and simulation training. In 2026, the programme expanded further with the Cataract Legends Competition, AI-supported performance metrics and 100-second Surgical Pearls, creating more opportunities for active participation and practical learning. 

ESCRS membership has increased by 23% across 120 countries since 2021. National Society Membership has grown beyond Europe to a wider global community from 24 national societies to 33 international societies (37% growth and a much wider geographical reach). 

The Congress reached a record 17,750 participants in London in 2026, up 16% from 15,342 in Copenhagen the year before. Between 2022 and 2026, total participation grew by 28%, with the number of doctors attending rising by 30%. Exhibition space sold increased by 41%, while exhibitor numbers rose from 219 to more than 330. The number of countries represented also increased, from 129 to 142. Gross revenue from the congress has increased by 44%.

The ESCRS website is attracting more people and holding their attention for longer since relaunch. Active users have grown by 20%, and new users by 25%, with a 13% rise in time spent on the website over the past 2 years. Users of the IOL Calculator have increased by 48% since January 2024. 

MCI redesigned and launched an online presence and digital issues for EuroTimes. Increased content about ESCRS educational, research and charitable programmes along with continuing coverage of clinical developments has made the publication a key element in the ESCRS membership marketing toolkit and enhanced the Society’s value proposition. EuroTimes online engagement has grown 136%, with new users growing 141% since 2023; the publication’s ABC audited circulation has increased by 38% over the past year.  

ESCRS has added more than 21,000 social media followers/connections, growing its combined audience by 42%. Instagram grew by 84% and LinkedIn by 54% over the past 3 years, demonstrating a significant expansion of ESCRS's digital community. 

ESCRS’s first press office in 2025 generated 2,000+ published articles from seven selected scientific abstracts.  WATCH the video below to take a look back at ESCRS 2026 in London. 

We are incredibly proud of what our teams have achieved together, and excited to keep building on that success. 

Ready to connect your association’s strategy, operations and flagship events? Talk to MCI about a partnership designed to support long-term growth.