Strengthening European collaboration for the future of healthcare
The meeting brought together hospital directors, university presidents, and representatives from international offices for a full day of discussions centred on how academic medical centres can jointly shape the future of healthcare. The agenda covered three strategic areas – prevention, artificial intelligence, and advanced therapies – but the message was clear: collaboration is key to translating science into better health for all.
“Partnership is the new leadership,” said one of the participants, capturing the shared spirit of the day.
A shared vision for impact
Across all discussions, the institutions expressed a strong commitment to move from treating disease to preventing it, from data to actionable knowledge, and from research to real clinical benefit.
There was a shared recognition that Europe’s academic hospitals have a unique responsibility – and opportunity – to lead in areas where public trust, ethical frameworks, and scientific integrity are as important as technological progress.
“We will never compete with the scale of the US or China,” one participant noted. “But we can lead through credibility, trust, and innovation rooted in science and public value.”
From ideas to joint initiatives
Several concrete areas for collaboration were identified, including digital and individualized prevention, AI-supported clinical decision-making, and advanced therapies such as cell and gene treatments. New digital platforms, shared data frameworks, and interdisciplinary education initiatives were highlighted as key enablers for joint progress.
Ongoing EU projects and new proposals – including within the Horizon Europe framework – will continue to serve as catalysts for trilateral collaboration between the institutions.
“As leading European university hospitals, we share a responsibility to shape the future of healthcare – together,” said one of the hospital directors.
Looking ahead
The meeting concluded with a clear commitment to continued dialogue and concrete follow-up activities. With strong alignment in vision and complementary expertise, Charité, Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital aim to strengthen Europe’s position as a global leader in evidence-based, data-driven, and patient-centred healthcare.