The College’s Strategic Planning Day in February brought together the Board, Branch Chairs, staff, and professional leaders from across Australia and New Zealand to reflect on where ACPSEM is today — and to shape where it goes next. The workshop created space for honest discussion about the evolving healthcare environment, the rapid pace of technological change, and the role medical physicists and radiopharmaceutical scientists play in safe, high-quality patient care. The insights generated will directly inform the new three-year Strategic Plan for 2026–2028.

A strong theme throughout the day was identity and visibility. Participants explored how the College can better articulate who it represents, demonstrate its value, and strengthen relationships with partners across healthcare, research, industry, and government. There was clear recognition that while ACPSEM already delivers significant impact, that impact is not always visible. Improving communication, member engagement, and external advocacy will be central to the next phase of the College’s work.

The discussion also highlighted the importance of positioning the professions for the future. Advances in artificial intelligence, developments in nuclear medicine, and changing workforce models are reshaping clinical practice. Attendees discussed the need for ACPSEM to lead in defining scope of practice, professional standards, and career pathways, while equipping members with both technical and non-technical capabilities such as leadership, communication, and cultural safety.

Across the four strategic pillars — Professions, Membership, Education, and Sustainability — participants identified a set of priority directions. These include developing a clear member value proposition, expanding CPD opportunities across career stages, improving digital systems to better connect members and showcase College activity, strengthening engagement with regulators and healthcare leaders, and exploring the future professional scope and identity of the College. There was also strong recognition of the need to support the volunteer workforce, and identify sustainable funding models to enable continued growth.

Perhaps most importantly, the day reinforced a shared commitment to collective ownership of the College’s future. With limited resources, but significant expertise across the membership, success will rely on collaboration between staff, volunteers, Branches, Special Interest Groups, Specialty Groups, Working Groups, Committees, and all other stakeholders. The emerging strategy aims to make it easier for members to see where they can contribute, understand the impact of their work, and feel connected to a clear, purposeful direction.

The Strategic Planning Day marked an important step in positioning ACPSEM as a confident, visible, and future-focused professional body — one that leads in the application of science and technology to improve patient outcomes across Australia and New Zealand. The 2026–2028 Strategic Plan is now being developed, and members will have opportunities to engage as priorities are refined and implementation begins.