British Society for Rheumatology Conference 2026

The challenge

emc3 Collective has partnered with the British Society for Rheumatology on its Annual Conference for the past five years, building a relationship grounded in trust, industry expertise and consistent delivery.

In 2026, the conference brought together more than 2,000 attendees and 200 speakers for three days of specialist education, research discussion and community connection across the rheumatology sector.

BSR’s Annual Conference serves a highly specialist community with different roles, priorities and reasons for attending.

Across three days, the programme needed to support clinical learning, research discussion, industry insight and peer-to-peer exchange, while remaining clear, accessible and easy to navigate.

With 450+ presentations and 70+ livestreams delivered across three days, the technical delivery had to be seamlessWhether attendees were joining a plenary, special interest group, parallel session, roundtable or remote stream, they needed to feel part of the same conference experience.

The solution

emc3 Life worked with BSR to deliver a connected healthcare conference across live and virtual platforms.

The programme was designed to give delegates different ways to learn, contribute and connect. Across the three days, it included one plenary, six special interest groups, 13 parallel sessions, three in-person roundtables, three symposium sessions, two workshops, two oral abstract sessions and two poster showcases.

Each format had a clear role. Larger sessions brought the wider community together. Parallel sessions gave delegates choice and depth. Roundtables and workshops created space for smaller, more focused discussion. Abstract sessions and poster showcases helped spotlight current research and emerging thinking from across the sector.

Virtual access was built into the experience, allowing remote delegates to follow key content and take part beyond the physical venue.

By supporting both audiences, the conference expanded access without losing the value of in-person connection.

The result

The conference brought the rheumatology community together at scale, creating three days of education, collaboration and knowledge sharing.

More than 200 speakers contributed to a programme designed to support every level of engagement, from expert-led content and specialist discussion to practical workshops and peer-to-peer exchange.

By combining live and virtual participation, BSR made its Annual Conference more accessible while maintaining the energy and interaction of a physical event.

The result was a connected, inclusive healthcare conference experience that helped BSR bring its community together, regardless of location.

Here’s what their Head of Events had to say: 

“We’ve partnered with emc3 on our hybrid Annual Conference for the past five years, and I can honestly say they are one of our favourite suppliers to work with. Not only is the team exceptionally talented and professional, but they are also a pleasure to collaborate with. They take the time to understand our event objectives and consistently bring fresh ideas that drive continuous improvement, as well as cost and resource efficiencies.

Their expertise, attention to detail, and proactive approach give us complete confidence that every aspect of the production will be delivered to the highest standard. Production is the one area of our conference that we can confidently entrust to emc3, knowing it will be managed seamlessly and executed flawlessly. They truly feel like an extension of our own team, and their contribution has been instrumental to the success of our conference year after year.”