"Today we are celebrating the success of our graduates and we are also celebrating the success of our Medical School: founded seven years ago, we have now trained a total of 29 doctors," said Prof. Dr Verena Pietzner, Vice President for Studies, Teaching and International Affairs, welcoming the guests to the ceremony in the Auditorium Centre. The University of Oldenburg's School V - School of Medicine and Health Sciences had invited 25 students from the European Medical School Oldenburg-Groningen (EMS) model degree programme in human medicine who passed their third State Examination in 2019. In addition, 40 students from the international Master's degree programme in Neurocognitive Psychology were delighted with their successful graduation. Dean Prof Dr Hans Gerd Nothwang also congratulated 31 graduates on their doctorates in the natural sciences and human medicine as well as four habilitation candidates.

"A day like today fills us with joy and pride in what you have all achieved over the past few years and have now completed. You are all ambassadors for our School of Medicine, which we will continue to expand with active support from the city, region and country," said Nothwang, addressing the graduates. Prof. Dr Djordje Lazovic, Director of the University Clinic for Orthopaedics and Trauma Surgery at Pius-Hospital Oldenburg and one of the founding fathers of University Medicine Oldenburg, added with regard to the medical graduates: "Your good performance and commitment have contributed significantly to the very positive assessment of our human medicine degree programme by the German Council of Science and Humanities. Now it is important that you use what you have learnt in the best possible way for your patients and continue to develop your skills in this fascinating academic appointment through lifelong learning."

Two graduates and one graduate were honoured for their special achievements: Christina Müller is the best graduate of the "Neurocognitive Psychology" Master's programme. Dr Florian Kasten, who completed his doctorate in Prof Dr Christoph Herrmann's working group at the Department of Psychology, received the 500 euro doctoral prize from the Friends and Sponsors of the University Medicine Northwest. The Hermine Heusler-Edenhuizen Prize, with which the School honours an outstanding scientific publication, went to Saskia Breuel. The published research work was part of her Master's thesis, which Breuel carried out in the working group of Prof Dr John Neidhardt at the Department for Human Medicine. This prize is also endowed with 500 euros and is donated by the Freunde und Förderer der Universitätsmedizin Nordwest e. V. (Friends and Sponsors of the University Medicine Northwest).

Prof Dr Marian Joëls, Dean of the School of Medicine at the University of Groningen (RUG), gave the evening's keynote speech. She emphasised the great importance of cross-border cooperation between the universities of Oldenburg and Groningen. In addition to the joint degree programme, the focus is on the comparative analysis of the Dutch and German healthcare systems and working on research questions.

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