From Past to Present: Celebrating the ESTRO School’s 20th Anniversary Through the Voices of Its Past Chairs

As current Chair of the ESTRO Education Council, I am delighted to introduce a special series celebrating the 20th anniversary of the ESTRO School, which we will mark together at the ESTRO 2026 Annual Congress. While ESTRO has been organising educational courses since 1985, the School itself was formally established 20 years ago to centralise and expand these activities.

In the coming weeks, you will hear from my predecessors, past chairs of the Education & Training Committee and Education Council. Through their reflections, we will look back on the evolution of the School, its milestones, and the spirit that has guided its mission: sharing knowledge, nurturing talent, and advancing radiotherapy education worldwide.

The ESTRO School is more than an institution; it is a community of passionate educators and learners where mentors become friends and science meets empathy, and where we have learned that teaching is not an act of instruction but one of hope and dedication for a better future in cancer care. Every ESTRO course is a reminder that knowledge shared is multiplied power towards more equitable access to radiotherapy worldwide.

I hope you enjoy hearing from the past chairs, and I look forward to celebrating this important milestone with all of you at ESTRO 2026 Annual Congress.

Here's to 20 years of excellence, and many more to come!

Luca Boldrini
Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore
Rome, Italy
Current Chair of the ESTRO Education Council (since 2024)