Safari PharmaQuest:
Professional Development Competitions
70th IPSF World Congress, August 2025 — Nairobi, Kenya
Overview
Safari PharmaQuest is a dynamic suite of IPSF's professional development competitions designed to bridge academic knowledge and real-world pharmacy practice. Organised by the 70th IPSF World Congress, the event empowers participants to build practical skills, enhance professional competencies, and engage with global health challenges in a competitive yet collaborative environment.
Theme: Advancing Global Health Competencies Through Professional Development
Key Competition Milestones
Launch of Competition
July 9, 2025
- Release of Call Document
- Competition Types, Categories, Format, Mechanisms and Eligibility
- Start of Registrations
Registration of Participants
July 9-18, 2025
- Release of Call Document
- Competition Types, Categories, Format, Mechanisms and Eligibility
- Start of Registrations
Workshop (Virtual)
July 20, 2025
- Introduction to Safari PharmaQuest
- Tips on Effective Preparation
- Q&A Session
Preliminary Round
July 21 - 25, 2025
- PCE (Jul 21)
- CSE (Jul 22)
- ISE (Jul 23)
- CE (Jul 24)
- PPAC (Jul 25)
Final Round 1
August 8, 2025
- PD Competition Briefing
- Tailored guidance per competition(s)
- CE, ISE and PCE Finals
Final Round 2
August 11, 2025
- PD Competition Briefing
- Tailored guidance per competition(s)
- CSE Finals
Final Round 3
August 11, 2025
- PD Competition Briefing
- Tailored guidance per competition(s)
- PPAC Finals
Professional Development Competitions
Industrial Skills Event (ISE)
Industrial Skills Event (ISE) is a platform for participants to understand and familiarise themselves with the various fields of the pharmaceutical industry with the aim to improve problem-solving skills.
Focus: Manufacturing Processes and Formulations with Emphasis on GMP, GDP, QC, and QA
- Objectives:
- To evaluate participants’ understanding of pharmaceutical manufacturing principles, including Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and Good Distribution Practices (GDP).
- To assess knowledge and application of Quality Control (QC) and Quality Assurance (QA) processes essential for ensuring the safety, efficacy, and quality of pharmaceutical products.
- To promote awareness of regulatory compliance and best practices in industrial pharmacy settings.
- Format:
- Preliminary Round: Online graded quiz assessing theoretical knowledge of manufacturing standards, regulatory frameworks, and quality systems.
- Final Round: On-site practicum involving case studies, problem-solving exercises, and simulated quality assurance tasks. Participants will demonstrate practical skills such as identifying GMP violations, designing QC protocols, and ensuring adherence to GDP during pharmaceutical production and distribution.
- Category: Advanced Only
Clinical Skills Event (CSE)
The Clinical Skills Event (CSE) provides educational opportunities for members to demonstrate and enhance their clinical pharmaceutical knowledge. The purpose of this event is to raise awareness of the importance of the pharmacist's role in direct patient care. Individuals and teams compete in a friendly environment by demonstrating their skills in assessing patient information and current therapy, identifying and prioritizing drug therapy problems, identifying treatment goals, and recommending a pharmaceutical care plan.
Focus: Rational Antimicrobial Use in Clinical Pharmacy Practice
- Objectives:
- To assess participants’ clinical reasoning and decision-making skills related to antimicrobial stewardship.
- To promote evidence-based selection and optimization of antimicrobial therapy to combat resistance and improve patient outcomes.
- To enhance understanding of infection prevention and control guidelines and patient safety considerations.
- Format:
- Preliminary Round: Online graded quiz testing knowledge of antimicrobial pharmacology, resistance mechanisms, and stewardship principles.
- Final Round: On-site practicum involving case-based scenarios where participants evaluate clinical data, recommend rational antimicrobial regimens, and justify their therapeutic decisions.
- Categories: Beginner & Advanced
Patient Counselling Event (PCE)
Patient Counselling Event (PCE) aims to demonstrate the importance of pharmacy counselling skills, increase awareness of pharmacists as public educators, and contribute to the development of communication skills of future and recent pharmacists. The main goal of this event is to provide our members with the opportunity to refine and showcase their counselling skills in a friendly competitive environment. PCE also provides participants with a platform to improve their competencies in one of the core responsibilities of pharmacists.
Focus: Lifestyle Modification for Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs)
- Objectives:
- To evaluate participants’ communication and counseling skills in promoting lifestyle changes for managing NCDs such as diabetes, hypertension, and obesity.
- To encourage patient-centered approaches using motivational interviewing and behavior change techniques.
- To emphasize the pharmacist’s role in supporting adherence and improving health outcomes through education.
- Format:
- Preliminary Round: Online graded quiz covering lifestyle interventions, common NCDs, and counseling strategies.
- Final Round: On-site practicum featuring simulated patient interactions where participants demonstrate effective counseling on diet, exercise, medication adherence, and risk factor modification.
- Categories: Beginner & Advanced

Compounding Event (CE)
Compounding Event (CE) tests the knowledge and skills of participants in the field of pharmaceutical technology. The event was created to develop an educational experience for student pharmacists, pharmaceutical science students, and recent graduates as well as increase their exposure to the field of industry pharmacy compounding. CE provides pharmacy students with a forum for practice and expression in pharmacy compounding and encourages them to become leaders to bring forth excellence and expertise to the field.
Focus: Extemporaneous Preparations for Paediatric and Geriatric Populations
- Objectives:
- To assess participants’ skills in preparing customized pharmaceutical formulations tailored to the needs of pediatric and geriatric patients.
- To address challenges such as appropriate dosing, formulation stability, palatability, and safety considerations for vulnerable populations.
- To reinforce knowledge of compounding standards and best practices.
- Format:
- Preliminary Round: Online graded quiz evaluating theoretical knowledge of compounding techniques, excipients, and age-appropriate formulations.
- Final Round: On-site practicum requiring participants to prepare extemporaneous formulations, accompanied by a written explanation of formulation choices and safety measures.
- Category: Advanced Only

Pharmacy Profession Advocacy Campaign (PPAC)
Pharmacy Profession Awareness Campaign (PPAC) is aimed at educating the general public, policy makers, and other health care professionals about the pharmacists' role as an integral part of the health care team. Its main objective is to provide insight on the responsibilities and scope of practice of pharmacists from various settings as well as raise awareness of the pharmaceutical profession at all levels, from students to recent graduates, and more.
Focus: The Role of Pharmacists in Advancing Public Health
- Objectives:
- To inspire participants to develop innovative advocacy campaigns that highlight pharmacists’ contributions to public health initiatives such as vaccination, health education, and medication safety.
- To foster teamwork, leadership, and strategic communication skills.
- To encourage creative approaches to raising awareness and influencing health policy.
- Format:
- Preliminary Round: For PPAC, participants will submit a project proposal highlighting their campaign idea. Each team is required to submit two (2) documents:
- Case Proposal (PowerPoint format)
- Campaign Project Case with a project implementation plan (PDF format)
- Final Round: On-site team presentations of advocacy campaigns judged on creativity, impact, feasibility, and relevance to advancing public health.
- Preliminary Round: For PPAC, participants will submit a project proposal highlighting their campaign idea. Each team is required to submit two (2) documents:
- Category: Mixed Level

Participation Requirements
- Open to all IPSF members attending the 70th World Congress (students & recent graduates).
- Participants register in teams of three. Individual registration allowed — team formation will be supported.
- All preliminary rounds are mandatory to qualify for on-site finals.
- Complete applications are required for acceptance.
Categories Explained
Two categories:
- Beginner Level
- Advanced Level
Beginner
Intended for participants with limited experience in the competition's focus area or those early in their pharmacy education or training.
- Knowledge and Skills:
- Fundamental understanding of pharmacy concepts relevant to the event (e.g., basic clinical reasoning, introductory patient counseling, or foundational compounding techniques).
- Familiarity with standard procedures and guidelines, but may lack extensive practical exposure.
- Expectations:
- Tasks and scenarios are designed to assess basic competence, focusing on essential skills and knowledge.
- Emphasis on learning, participation, and building confidence in a supportive environment.
Advanced
Intended for participants with substantial experience or advanced standing in their pharmacy education or professional development.
- Knowledge and Skills:
- Proficient in complex clinical reasoning, advanced patient counseling, or specialized compounding and industrial techniques.
- Demonstrates a deeper understanding of evidence-based practice, problem-solving, and application of guidelines to real-world scenarios.
- Expectations:
- Tasks and scenarios are more challenging, requiring integration of advanced knowledge and critical thinking.
- Participants are expected to justify decisions, manage complex cases, and demonstrate leadership or innovation in their approach
Note: Participants should select the category that best matches their current level of training and experience to ensure a fair and rewarding competition experience
Application & Call Documents
Registration Period: July 9 – 18, 2025
How to Register:
- Fill out the Google Registration Form.
- Participants may register individually or as part of a team (teams of 3 members; cross-organisation and cross-country teams are allowed).
- Individuals not registering as a team will be assigned to teams via a lottery system.
Frequently asked questions
Any IPSF member attending the 70th World Congress.
Participants may register individually or as part of a team (teams of 3 members; cross-organisation and cross-country teams are allowed).
Individuals not registering as a team will be assigned to teams via a lottery system.
No Fee. Open to all registered and confirmed Congress attendees.
Yes, if you complete the Preliminary Round.
Unique branded merchandise, certificates and sponsored gifts.
For Inquires:
Email: capacitybuilding.wc2025@gmail.com