The European Stroke Organisation (ESO) devotes itself to all scientific issues regarding brain vessel conditions and is one of the organisers responsible for the annual European Stroke Conference (ESC) held for the twenty-first time this year. The Conference is the largest event in the field of stroke-related diseases worldwide, with as much as 3,200 participants attending this year. Additionally, the ESO concerns itself with numerous advanced training agendas, operates the Virtual Stroke University as well as the Stroke Summer School and is the co organiser of the European Master Program in Stroke Medicine at the Danube University Krems.

In his inaugural speech, Michael Brainin called the positioning of ESO within the European research community, the promotional funding scene as well as the expansion of this position the Organisation's prime goal. Another important concern will be the organisation of conferences and the strengthening of ESO's role at these meetings. The 2015 European Stroke Conference is scheduled to be held in Vienna, a fact that Michael Brainin is especially proud of. Another strategic goal Michael Brainin is hoping to achieve in the course of his term of office ending in 2014 is the establishment of the European Stroke Journal, a professional publication.