In September 2023, ICOM celebrated its 50th birthday. Around ninety members of our alumni along with their guests and two former Principals Penny Kharroubi and Sam Patel, braved the rain to get together with old friends in the familiar surroundings of Van Buren House. Guests enjoyed delicious canapés, nostalgic photos and articles, had fun with AcuDarts and watched a video documenting the college history. Yellow Room was transformed into a cosy setting to listen to fantastic live music while tea and cake was served in the marquee.

Later on we were joined by Joan Duveen via Zoom and our Principal, Elio, toasted ICOM’s fifty years and the future of the college. Then we cut the birthday cake.

Founded in 1972, The International College of Oriental Medicine (ICOM) in East Grinstead is the UK’s oldest Acupuncture training college, ICOM has been a major contributor to the development of Acupuncture in the UK and internationally.

Dr van Buren founded the college in 1972 from his home in Gerrard’s Cross, Buckinghamshire. More than 800 students graduated at the college, and, since moving to Green Hedges Avenue in East Grinstead in 1976, at least 10,000 patients have been treated in the college clinic.

Many of today’s leading figures in the world of Acupuncture trained at the college, including distinguished international lecturers and authors of Acupuncture and Chinese Medical textbooks used by students and practitioners around the world.

Today there are around forty students studying Acupuncture at the college, both full and part time. Students come from a multitude of backgrounds, but they all share the common desire to help others and benefit society. ICOM is a not-for-profit organisation and through its student, graduate and professional clinics, part of its mission is to make high-quality Acupuncture treatment accessible to everyone in the local community. Very low cost and sometimes free Acupuncture treatments are available in our student clinics.