About the International Federation of Podiatrists (FIP)

The International Federation of Podiatrists (FIP) began in 1947 as the Fédération Internationale des Podologues, founded by a group of French-speaking national organisations in Belgium, France, and Switzerland. Madam Decosterd (Switzerland) served as the first President, and the first Congress was held in Zurich in 1953.

Since those early years, the Federation has evolved from a European alliance into a truly international network—uniting national organisations, supporting education and professional standards, and strengthening podiatry’s role in health systems around the world.

Today, FIP is guided by a clear vision: a world where excellent foot health care is universally accessible, professionally recognised, and globally integrated. In practice, this means championing the value of podiatry in public health, advancing high-quality education and clinical practice, and ensuring that foot and ankle care is recognised as essential to overall health and mobility.

A growing international federation

Over the next two decades, the Federation expanded to include national organisations across Austria, Denmark, Germany, Finland, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. Individuals from the United States of America also became involved, although never formally. During this period, leadership helped shape the Federation’s international direction: Leonardo Escachs (Spain) served as the second President, and Karl-Heinz Hamme (Germany) as the third. Around this time, the Federation registered in Spain and relocated its offices there.

Strengthening standards and advocacy

In 1973, FIP established an independent body—Comité de liaison des Podologues de la Communauté Européenne (CLPCE)—to defend the interests of the profession within the EEC. Robert Van Lith (Belgium) became its first President. In 1975, eight member organisations signed a shared European syllabus document, lodged with the relevant department of the European Commission. The syllabus was largely developed by Peter Read and Ravi Suvarna (United Kingdom) and based on the UK’s common syllabus—supporting consistency in education and professional standards.

Modernising governance for a changing world

In 1993, the Federation became the FIPP with the addition of “et Podiatres” to its title and the adoption of a new logo. As President, Robert Van Lith led work to update the statutes and byelaws and initiated the move of the headquarters from Spain to Paris. During this evolution, the CLPCE became a commission within the FIPP, alongside the Groupe de Réflexion, which was renamed the International College of Teachers of Podiatric Medicine (ICTPM). An Executive Board was also established to oversee the Federation’s affairs between annual meetings.

In January 2001, the FIP Board convened an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) in Paris to develop a comprehensive strategic plan for the future. Building on discussions initiated at the previous AGM in Geneva, the Federation examined its changing role in the context of increasing globalisation of academic and practitioner standards. At the meeting, the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) was unanimously admitted to membership, and the next FIP World Congress was agreed for Boston in 2004, hosted in collaboration with APMA’s annual scientific conference. The EGM also supported the proposal to designate each May as “International Foot Health Month” from 2002.

A global identity—and global impact

The 2016 AGM in Montreal confirmed the Federation’s name as the International Federation of Podiatrists – Fédération Internationale des Podologues, abbreviated FIP-IFP. That same year, Montreal hosted a landmark World Congress, welcoming over 850 foot-care specialists over three days. Co-hosted with the Canadian Podiatric Medical Association (CPMA), the Congress reflected FIP’s growing capacity to convene the profession, share cutting-edge knowledge, and build international alignment.

Looking ahead: keeping the world on its feet

FIP’s mission is to unite, direct, and empower the global podiatry community through shared knowledge and leading resources—ensuring that every step forward improves lives worldwide. Our strategic purpose is simple and bold: to empower the global podiatry community to keep the world on its feet.

As the global voice of podiatry, FIP leads advocacy efforts to promote foot health, strengthen professional recognition, and support the integration of podiatrists into health systems. Achieving this depends on strong partnerships and collaboration across regions, disciplines, and communities. Advances in podiatry are happening around the world—together, we can accelerate them, amplify them, and ensure they benefit everyone.