The World Tinnitus Congress (WTC) and International Tinnitus Seminar (ITS) are entering a new chapter with the establishment of the WTC/ITS Stewardship Council (WISC), an international body dedicated to safeguarding the continuity, identity, history and transparent governance of these longstanding scientific meetings.

Nearly Five Decades of International Collaboration

The International Tinnitus Seminar was established by Abraham Shulman and Barbara Goldstein, who organised its first meeting in New York in 1979.

Since then, ITS has travelled across five continents, bringing together clinicians, researchers and academics dedicated to advancing the understanding and management of tinnitus.

In 2017, the World Tinnitus Congress was established alongside ITS through an initiative led by Henryk Skarżyński and Piotr Henryk Skarżyński, broadening the scope of the meeting into a global congress while preserving its scientific heritage.

Throughout this history, responsibility for organising each congress has passed from one host to another, with registered delegates traditionally selecting the next host.

WISC has been established to preserve this democratic tradition while providing the permanent international stewardship structure that WTC/ITS has previously lacked.

A New Framework for Continuity and Democratic Participation

WISC will provide continuity between successive congresses, preserve institutional knowledge and establish transparent procedures for selecting future hosts.

Its responsibilities will include developing eligibility criteria for host applications, assessing proposals against published requirements and ensuring that all eligible applications are fairly presented to delegates.

Importantly, WISC will neither rank eligible applications nor select the successful host.

The Council’s role is guided by three principles:

The host organises the congress.

The WTC/ITS community chooses the next host.

WISC safeguards continuity and the integrity of the process.

Each successful host will retain responsibility for organising its own congress, including the scientific programme, faculty, finances and operational arrangements.

An International and Multidisciplinary Council

WISC is being established with founding representatives from ten countries: the United Kingdom, Germany, Poland, Brazil, China, South Korea, India, the United States, Turkey and Australia.

The Council brings together professionals with expertise in tinnitus research, clinical practice and international scientific collaboration.

Its membership structure combines experienced congress organisers, international and regional representatives, and members directly elected by the WTC/ITS community.

Three additional Council members will be elected in February 2027 by delegates who have completed their registration for WTC/ITS London 2027 by 31 January 2027.

This election will provide registered delegates with a direct voice in the Council’s development and future activities.

Looking Towards London 2027 and Beyond

The founding governance framework will guide WISC through WTC/ITS London 2027, including the selection of the next congress host.

Following London 2027, the Council will review its governance arrangements, membership structure and election procedures to develop a sustainable framework for the longer term.

WISC may also contribute to future discussions about establishing an International Tinnitus Society, although the Council’s responsibility for safeguarding WTC/ITS remains independent of any such development.

The establishment of WISC represents an important step towards ensuring that the scientific heritage of WTC/ITS is preserved while its future remains in the hands of the international tinnitus community.

WISC: Safeguarding the Future of WTC/ITS.