Join OSSU World Café Conversations
Wherever you are, join our online dialogue events.
The OSSU World Café Conversations are a community-driven series of virtual discussions that bring together patient partners, caregivers, researchers, clinicians, trainees, research staff, and health system partners to share perspectives and discuss opportunities and challenges in patient-oriented research. Developed as a demonstration project, these facilitated community conversations use a modified World Café approach that is conducive to dialogue and out-of-the-box thinking.
Illustration: Conference Vectors by Vecteezy
Our goal was to develop a space where people could come and discuss issues identified by the community.
— Maureen Smith and Stuart Nicholls, OSSU World Café Conversations
Who participates?
Patient partners, caregivers, researchers, clinicians, trainees, research staff, and health system partners are all welcome to participate.
Why participate?
Share your experiences and perspectives in a welcoming environment.
Learn from people with different roles and lived experiences.
Build relationships across the patient-oriented research community.
Explore practical solutions to common challenges.
Help shape future conversations by suggesting topics that matter to you.
How it works
Connect
Community-identified topics are shared on an online platform.
Discuss
Diverse perspectives come together in a facilitated small-group virtual event.
Reflect
Key insights are captured and shared as practical resources for continued reflection
Upcoming conversation
NEXT CONVERSATION
December 15, 2026
Three one-hour World Café Conversations are planned each year. Details and registration information will be shared as they become available.
Explore past conversations and resources
Visit the pages below to explore key themes from the three demonstration-project conversations and links to existing relevant resources.
Unpacking Meaningful Patient Engagement from Multiple Perspectives
December 10, 2025
View the infographic
Read What We Heard
Find and Seek: Matching Researchers and Lived Experience Partners
February 6, 2026
View the infographic
Read What We Heard
Working Together to Navigate and Improve Compensation Practices
March 12, 2026
View the infographic
Read What We Heard
Join the conversation
Whether you are new to patient-oriented research or have years of experience, you are invited to contribute your voice and perspective. Together, we can strengthen patient-oriented research—one conversation at a time.
