Speaker
Stéphanie van de Werve
Co-founder, Thémis

Stéphanie van de Werve co-founded Thémis with Fatoumata Ly, out of the strong belief that women’s health was missing an infrastructure. Before that, she spent 15 years developing programmes in foundations and think tanks (Institut Montaigne, Tony Blair Institute, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace). Her work has focused on turning research and policy into strategies that get results. 

Founded in 2025, Thémis is a pan-European influence platform to integrate women’s health into every public and economic decision. Its mission is to make women’s health a core metric of public policy and economic development by 2035. Thémis works across five areas: citizen participation, measurement through the Women’s Health Index, research, policy translation, and culture change.

The input will be followed by a Q&A, so we hope to see many of you there

On October 14, 2026, the University of Heidelberg will host a free, in-person conference exploring one of today's most pressing societal challenges: the mental health of young people. 🌱

Bringing together researchers, educators, students, policymakers, and practitioners, the event examines both the personal and societal conditions that support healthy development and resilience. Marking the conclusion of the REBOUND 2.0project, the conference combines the latest research with practical perspectives on prevention, education, and mental well-being in schools, universities, and communities.

💬 Join the conversation on how we can create the conditions for young people not just to cope—but to thrive.

On 13 October 2026, the Medical School Brandenburg (MHB) will host a public panel discussion exploring how health equity is shaped by structural inequality, healthcare systems, migration, and global health policies.

The discussion will bring together international and regional perspectives from medicine, medical anthropology, global health, and community health, connecting experiences of healthcare in Brandenburg with broader questions of equity, solidarity, and responsibility. 🩺🌎

The event takes place from 5:00–7:00 pm at the MHB Campus in Brandenburg an der Havel and is also available online. Admission is free, and participants are invited to stay for an informal get-together with refreshments afterwards. 🤝

Register here: https://www.mhb-fontane.de/de/veranstaltungsdetails?id=1019&utm_source=chatgpt.com 

Have you ever travelled through time? 
If not, you can come and join us in Berlin for our simulation exercise “Critical Choices Beyond the Pathogen”, jointly developed by the Global Health Hub Germany and the World Health Organization (WHO).

Why join?
Take this opportunity to travel through time to infectious disease outbreaks of the past and take crucial decisions, making or breaking social cohesion, public trust and mental wellbeing. Learn why MHPSS in pandemics has and always will be a crucial part of handling disease outbreaks! 

Date: 12 October 2026 
Time: 01:00 PM to 03:00 PM
Location: Pullman Berlin Schweizerhof 
(Budapester Str. 25, 10787 Berlin, right across from WHS location, no WHS ticket needed)

Discuss with our experts: 
Prof. Dr Klaus Lieb (Leibniz Institute for Resilience Research), Dr Marcelo Pelajo Machado (Fiocruz) & Asha Mutesi Rajab (Youth Community Health Worker) in a panel discussion reflecting the lessons learned and the importance of social dimensions in pandemic preparedness.

Register here: https://live.invitario.com/en/critical-choices-beyond-the-pathogen-the-social-dimension-of-pandemics

On 12 October 2026, experts from academia, civil society, politics, and global health practice will meet in Berlin to discuss the growing role of private actors and private financing in global health. The event will explore how these developments are shaping health priorities and governance, and what is needed for a more democratic, accountable, and equitable global health system. 🩺🤝

📍 Berlin | 12 October 2026 | 13:00–15:00
📌 Hotel Pestana, Stülerstraße 6
🗣️ The event will be held in English.

The discussion is organized by the German Platform Global Health, Global Policy Forum Europe, medico international, Brot für die Welt, and the Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung – New York Office. 

Register here: https://www.medico.de/en/public-interest-or-private-power

🎬 When it’s time to deliver, can health systems too?

Dear All, on the occasion of the World Health Summit 2026, we are pleased to invite you to a special side event in Berlin, bringing together film, evidence and dialogue to explore women’s health, safe and dignified birth, WASH, Universal Health Coverage and resilient health systems. 🌍💧

The event will consist of two parts: 

Part 1 | 11:00–12:15 – Panel & Political Dialogue 

A high-level discussion bringing together perspectives from midwifery, politics, global health and practice. Together, we will explore what health systems need to provide safe, dignified and quality care – and how maternal health, WASH, Universal Health Coverage and resilient health systems can be better connected. 

Evidence from WaterAid’s recent Born Without Water study will bring particular attention to a fundamental but too often overlooked part of quality healthcare: safe water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) in healthcare facilities. 

Part 2 | 12:20–14:00 – Film Screening of WISE WOMEN 

For those who would like to stay, we will screen Nicole Scherg’s documentary WISE WOMEN, which follows five midwives working in Ethiopia, Morocco, Nepal, Austria and Brazil. Director Nicole Scherg will join us in person. 

You are very welcome to join us for the panel discussion only – participation in the film screening is optional. The event will be held in English. Coffee and networking from 10:30. 

📅 11 October 2026 | 11:00–14:00
📍 delphi LUX Cinema, Berlin
☕ Doors open at 10:30 for coffee and networking

Link to register below

The Virchow Foundation will host the fifth anniversary of the Virchow Prize Lecture and Ceremony on 10 October 2026 at Berlin’s historic Rotes Rathaus (Berlin City Hall). The event will celebrate outstanding achievements advancing the goal of “health for all”, particularly in connection with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. 

The ceremony will bring together members of the global health community for an afternoon of reflection, recognition, and exchange, followed by a reception. 🤝

📅 10 October 2026 | 16:00–18:00
📍 Great Ceremonial Hall, Rotes Rathaus, Berlin

The 9th German–East European Health Forum will bring together senior decision-makers, healthcare experts, and business leaders from Germany and across Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe, the Baltics, the South Caucasus, and Central Asia. As an official side event of the World Health Summit, the forum will explore resilient healthcare systems, regulatory harmonization, digital health innovation, and joint strategies for preventing neurodegenerative diseases. 🤝💡

Hosted at KPMG in Berlin, the event offers a valuable platform for networking, knowledge exchange, and fostering international partnerships in the health sector. The conference will be held in English, and participation is free of charge.

Register here: https://gha.health/veranstaltung/9th-german-eastern-european-health-forum/

🏥 Charité meets BeNeLux will take place on 8–9 October 2026 in Berlin, bringing together leading experts from Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg for the 17th Symposium on Emergency Medicine and Acute Cardiology.

The event explores the evolving role of emergency medicine, with a focus on digital innovation, AI in acute care, geriatric emergency medicine, psychosocial emergencies, acute cardiology and new approaches to patient care. 

Alongside expert presentations and practical education, the programme offers valuable opportunities for international exchange, networking and collaboration across European emergency medicine. 🌍🤝

Register here: https://charite-meets.de/

The event brings together experts from healthcare practice, research, policy, public health, health insurance and other fields to discuss the future of primary care in Germany. 🌍

The programme will explore international experiences, especially from Austria, interprofessional teamwork, lessons from the NAVIGATION model projects in Berlin and Hamburg, and the structural and political conditions needed to establish Primary Care Centres as part of regular healthcare provision.

💬 Through expert talks, panels and discussions, the conference offers a space for interdisciplinary exchange and for exploring how primary care can become more integrated, accessible and community-oriented.

📅 8 October 2026 | 10:00–16:30
📍 Charité Campus Mitte, Berlin
💶 Participation fee: €35
👥 Places are limited to 200 participants.

This event will be held in German.

Registration is available online via the event website here: https://aufbruch-primaerversorgung.de/#anmeldung

The New Public Health Doctoral Programme invites prospective PhD candidates to an online information session. The session will provide an introduction to the programme and information on applying for a full-time doctoral scholarship from the Hans Böckler Foundation. 📚

The programme’s four thematic clusters will also be introduced, followed by an opportunity for participants to ask questions about the application process, supervision, and the doctoral programme. 💬

💻 Format: Online via Microsoft Teams
📅 Date: 7 October 2026, 17:00–18:30
⏰ Application deadline for the scholarship: 2 November 2026

Register here: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/360415183606164?p=WAmB6ajSFkc5WGisuA

The New Public Health Doctoral Programme invites prospective PhD candidates to an online information session. The session will provide an introduction to the programme and information on applying for a full-time doctoral scholarship from the Hans Böckler Foundation. 📚

The programme’s four thematic clusters will also be introduced, followed by an opportunity for participants to ask questions about the application process, supervision, and the doctoral programme. 💬

💻 Format: Online via Microsoft Teams
📅 Date: 7 October 2026, 17:00–18:30
⏰ Application deadline for the scholarship: 2 November 2026

Register here: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/360415183606164?p=WAmB6ajSFkc5WGisuA

The Centre for Planetary Health Policy (CPHP) invites participants to discuss how Germany can implement the new EU Air Quality Directive and achieve healthier air. The dialogue will explore the health impacts of air pollution, current challenges in implementation, and pathways towards meeting the new air-quality standards. 🫁🌍

The event brings together perspectives from science, policy, and practice to discuss how stronger air-quality measures can benefit both public health and environmental protection. 💬🤝

📌 Focus: Implementation of the new EU Air Quality Directive in Germany
🌱 Topic: Cleaner air, better health, and planetary health

🗣️ Language: The event will be held in German.

Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/Zx2CerbpSsCFIKXqAmUtOw

🌟 Shaping Health Together: Facing Societal Challenges 🌟

The annual joint congress of leading medical societies is set to explore how health care can evolve to meet the challenges of our changing society. 💡 With rising costs, fragmented care, and social inequalities impacting health, experts agree it’s time for evidence-based policies that truly put people at the center.

This year, in celebration of DEGAM’s 60th anniversary, the congress will be held for the first time in collaboration with the German Society for Social Medicine and Prevention (DGSMP), the Evidence-Based Medicine Network (EbM-Netzwerk), and the German Society for Medical Sociology (DGMS). Together, they will bring diverse perspectives to develop innovative solutions for today’s health challenges.

Join the discussion from September 30 to October 2, 2026, in Göttingen and help shape the future of health care. 🤝✨

Take part in the 3rd research symposium “Metaverse meets Health” on 29 September 2026 at the FernUniversität in Hagen, exploring the future of immersive technologies and AI in healthcare 🧠💻🏥.

This interdisciplinary event brings together researchers and practitioners to discuss the opportunities and challenges of Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, Mixed Reality, and Artificial Intelligence across fields such as medicine, nursing, rehabilitation, and emergency care.

Participants are invited to submit contributions showcasing innovative research or pilot projects. Submissions can be presented either as part of an interactive exhibition or through a research talk 🎤🧪.

🗓 Event date: 29 September 2026
📍 Location: FernUniversität in Hagen
📩 Submission deadline: 15 June 2026

Join the conversation and help shape the future of digital health innovation 🚀✨

The Global Health Academy and the Global Health Educators Community (GHECo) invite curriculum developers, programme coordinators, teachers, trainers, and supervisors to an online dialogue on the Catalogue of Competencies in Global Health Research. The session will explore how the catalogue can be applied to strengthen curriculum design, research training, and supervisor development at doctoral and postdoctoral level, both in Germany and internationally. 📚

Participants will also discuss the benefits of a competency-based approach and how the catalogue can inform the development of global health education and training programmes. 💬🤝

📅 24 September 2026 | 17:00–18:30 CET
💻 Online via Zoom
🎯 Target group: Global health educators, curriculum developers, programme coordinators, trainers, and supervisors.

Register here: https://uni-bonn.zoom-x.de/meeting/register/S6OENdCuTBeweAieGdkohA

🌍 “Shaping a Healthy Future Together – 40 Years of the Ottawa Charter” will take place on 24 November 2026 in Hannover, Germany, as the VII Symposium of the Zukunftsforum Public Health. 

The conference marks 40 years since the Ottawa Charter and will explore how political decisions, social and economic conditions, living environments, participation and trust in public institutions shape health. 

Through keynote presentations, interactive workshops and a panel discussion, experts from policy, science and practice will discuss the future of prevention, health promotion and Public Health in Germany—including health equity, health literacy, misinformation, community participation and the role of public health services. 💡

The event is organised in cooperation with the Landesvereinigung für Gesundheit und Akademie für Sozialmedizin Niedersachsen Bremen e. V., with support from the Bundesinstitut für Öffentliche Gesundheit and the Robert Koch Institute.

⚠️ Please note: The event will be held in German, and a participation fee (80 EUR) applies.

The 25th German Congress for Health Services Research will take place from September 23–25, 2026, at Cologne University Hospital, celebrating “People. Relationships. Organisations. 25 Years of Collaborative Health Services Research.” 🎉🏥

Returning to the city where the first congress was held in 2002, this milestone event reflects on the past achievements of the field while looking forward to future challenges. The congress explores what defines healthcare—patients, professions, structures—and highlights the collaboration of a vibrant research community that has shaped health services research over the past 25 years. 💡🤝

Researchers and practitioners are invited to submit abstracts (open until March 25, 2026) and participate in sessions emphasizing innovation, collaboration, and the human and organizational aspects of health services. The German Network for Health Literacy partners in this year’s event, enhancing the focus on improving healthcare through evidence-based research. 📊🌍

The congress promises inspiring contributions, fresh perspectives, and opportunities for professional exchange in the heart of Cologne.