Academic medicine stands at a critical crossroads-challenged by evolving clinical demands, funding constraints, and shifting expectations from the next generation of healthcare professionals.
The Alumni Club Symposium 2025 invites physicians, clinician-scientists, stakeholders from health policy and medical educators to join a focused dialogue on shaping the future of academic medicine in a rapidly transforming world.
Over two days, renowned speakers and participants will explore key questions surrounding research integration, medical teaching, clinical innovation, and institutional visions for the 21st century. Special emphasis will be placed on engaging Generation Z in medicine and strengthening the clinician-researcher pathway.
Join us in Vienna for thought-provoking lectures, interactive discussions, and valuable networking opportunities with peers who share a commitment to excellence in academic medicine.
Programme
- 5.00 pm | Opening and Welcome
Welcome by the Rector of the MedUni of Vienna
Welcome by the organizers, Harald Sitte, Wolfgang Schütz - 5.15 pm | Opening Keynote
„Determining the position of academic medicine today“
Sadaf Farooqi (Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre, University of Cambridge)
- 9.00 am | Welcome
- 9.10 am | Challenges for the Clinical Practice (in combination with research)
Daniela Thommen (Netherlands Cancer Institute)
Michael Trauner (Department of Medicine III, MedUni Vienna/University Hospital Vienna)
Sharokh Shariat (Department of Urology, MedUni Vienna/University Hospital Vienna) - 10.00 am | Physician researcher pathway – does it pay off?
Irene Lang (Department of Medicine II, MedUni Vienna/ University Hospital Vienna)
Irene Virgolini, (Nuclear Medicine Department, MedUni Innsbruck) - 10.30 am | Clinical research funding from Public Institutions
Michael J. Strong (Western‘s Schulich School of Medicine und Dentistry, Ontario, Canada)
Christoph Binder (Vice-President, Austrian Science Fund (FWF)) - 11.20 am | Coffee break
- 11.45 am | Clinical research funding from Industry – Is there academic support?
Jeremy Farrar, (World Health Organization (WHO)) - 12.10 am | Lunch break
- 1.15 pm | Educating the Next Generation of Physician-Scientists:Translational Competence for the 21st Century
Péter Hegyi (Centre for Translational Medicine, National Biomedical Foundation, Semmelweis University) - 1.40 pm | Developing enthusiasm for Clinician-Researcher Pathway early on – the role of teaching medicine Intro on broader perspective
Martin Fischer (Teaching Center, MedUni Vienna)
The view from local next-generation researchers
Marie Lang (Department of Neurology, MedUni Vienna/University Hospital Vienna)
Vincent Millischer (Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, MedUni Vienna/University Hospital Vienna)
Isabella Salzer (Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, MedUni Vienna) - 2.25 pm | Understanding “Generation Z”
Melanie Lenger (Psychiatry and Psychotherapeutic Medicine, MedUni Graz) - 2.50 pm | Best-practice programs. Topics: on structural problems
Michael Geklé ( Julius-Bernstein-Institute for Physiology, Medical University Halle UMH) - 3.15 pm | Coffee break
- 3.40 pm | Overarching visions: “Universitas” in the 21st Century and beyond
Britta Siegmund (Vice-President, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG)) - 4.15 pm | Final discussion round on “Synergies between research, clinical practice and teaching”, global and local visions
Sadaf Farooqi (Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre, University of Cambridge)
Michael Geklé (Julius-Bernstein-Institute for Physiology, Medical University Halle UMH)
Markus Müller (Rector, MedUni Vienna)
Britta Siegmund (Vice-President, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG)) - 5.30 pm | Closing remarks and farewell
- 6.00 pm | End of Sympsoium
Registration
Please register by 5 November 2025!
Alumni Club | Fundraising
ContactVerena Schweiger
T: +43 (0)1 40160-11521
verena.schweiger@meduniwien.ac.at
Site plan
Van Swieten Saal, Medical University of Vienna
Van-Swieten-Gasse 1a, 1090 Vienna