The University of Oldenburg regards the results of the evaluation of University Medicine Oldenburg by the German Council of Science and Humanities (WR), which were announced today, as encouraging and extremely helpful. The federal and state governments’ most important advisory body has assessed the model degree programme in human medicine – the European Medical School Oldenburg-Groningen (EMS) – as an “impressive programme” that has been “convincingly implemented”. The “defining feature of University Medicine Oldenburg” is its strong research in neurosensory and hearing research, which has further demonstrated its excellence in recent years. The focus on the still-emerging field of healthcare research is also “strategically sound and has scope for further development”. In the German Council of Science and Humanities’s view, University Medicine Oldenburg has been able to further reinforce the strengths of its founding concept and develop it into an “attractive, location-specific profile”. The planned expansion of European co-operation with the Rijksuniversiteit Groningen and the Universitair Medisch Centrum Groningen (UMCG) in the areas of research, support for early-career researchers, further education and patient care was also welcomed.
In a joint statement, University President Prof. Dr Dr Hans Michael Piper and the Dean of School V - School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Prof. Dr Hans Gerd Nothwang, were pleased with the praise, but also emphasised that the critical comments regarding the current situation in university medicine were equally constructive. They would certainly help to further strengthen and improve cooperation with the Oldenburg hospitals and the University of Groningen.
Lower Saxony’s Minister for Science, Björn Thümler, also commented on the results. Referring to the degree programme, he said: “The European Medical School Oldenburg-Groningen – the EMS – remains on course for success. As early as the coming winter semester, 80 places will be offered. This represents a major step forward towards our target of up to 200 places, as well as towards training the urgently needed general practitioners. It is an encouraging sign that the German Council of Science and Humanities also views the expansion of the EMS positively.” However, the German Council of Science and Humanities does see challenges in the governance structures relating to the partner hospitals and the necessary further development of the infrastructure. “We regard this as a mandate to develop solutions and thereby secure the long-term viability of University Medicine Oldenburg,” emphasised Thümler.
The positive assessments have reinforced the university’s confidence in what it has achieved over the past seven years, explained Piper and Nothwang. This had only been possible through close and constructive cooperation with the partners in Groningen and the four local hospitals: the Evangelisches Krankenhaus, the Klinikum Oldenburg, the Pius-Hospital and the Karl-Jaspers-Klinik. Nevertheless, the future development of University Medicine Oldenburg still requires a great deal of conceptual work from all stakeholders, and all areas must be integrated even more closely. The sustainable financial and staffing resources called for by the German Council of Science and Humanities are directed at the state government and are of fundamental importance. “Together, we have achieved a great deal for our location – and there is still a great deal of work ahead of us. In this regard, we are relying in particular on a clear commitment from the State of Lower Saxony to University Medicine Oldenburg and on the corresponding support,” emphasised University President Piper.
The four hospital directors – Dr Alexander Poppinga (Evangelisches Krankenhaus), Rainer Schoppik (Klinikum Oldenburg), Elisabeth Sandbrink (Pius Hospital) and Michael Poerschke (Karl Jaspers Clinic) – stated that they were delighted with the German Council of Science and Humanities’ extremely positive assessment of the medical degree programme. This represents a major success during a challenging start-up phase – for the hospitals as well. At the same time, the hospital partners emphasised the German Council of Science and Humanities’ call on the state to press ahead with investment and financial planning agreed upon with all stakeholders. This is essential for the further development of research, teaching and patient care. The need for even closer cooperation amongst themselves and with the School of Medicine is also being taken very seriously and is a priority for the hospitals themselves. Intensive discussions on closer integration are already underway.
In November 2010, the German Council of Science and Humanities had spoken out in favour of establishing the German-Dutch joint project ‘European Medical School Oldenburg-Groningen’. In 2012, School V - School of Medicine and Health Sciences was established at the University of Oldenburg, and in October the pilot degree programme in Human Medicine began with its first 40 students. There are currently 271 trainee doctors studying here, 33 of whom are currently completing their clinical year. Eighteen have already successfully completed their studies. The Lower Saxony Higher Education Act (NHG) required the current evaluation of the School of Medicine at the University of Oldenburg by the German Council of Science and Humanities. The state government is to submit the findings to the state parliament, together with a statement on the further development of the medical degree programme at the University of Oldenburg, taking into account training capacity, by 30 June 2020 (Section 72(11) NHG).