Since the 2012/2013 winter semester, the University of Oldenburg has offered a model course in Human Medicine through the European Medical School Oldenburg-Groningen (EMS); a cross-border training programme that also incorporates medical State Examinations, and is the only one of its kind in Europe. The German Council of Science and Humanities’ positive vote in 2010 paved the way for this development.

Following the appointment of the founding Dean by the Presidential Board, the sixth School of the University of Oldenburg was founded in August 2012. The School started offering the degree programme in Human Medicine in the winter semester of 2012/13, initially with 40 students.

During the re-evaluation in 2019, which was completed according to schedule, the Council of Science and Humanities praised the well-implemented EMS degree programme in Human Medicine and its impressive range of courses. In addition to the vertical integration and the integration of modern teaching and learning methods, it also highlighted the longitudinal research curriculum, which advances the scientific education of students and contributes to the integration of theory and practice. One of the hallmarks of the Human Medicine curriculum in Oldenburg is that teaching practices are closely involved in the degree programme from an early stage, giving students the opportunity to shadow medical professionals and observe medical processes. In terms of research, the Council of Science and Humanities commended the two research areas of neurosensory science/hearing research and health services research for their particular focus on translation and transfer.

Today, approximately 68 professors (as of September 2026) conduct research and teach in the five departments of School VI Medicine and Health Sciences. Within the departments, the various specializations - ranging from clinical and natural science approaches to engineering and health services science perspectives, as well as data-driven research areas - enable exceptionally strong interdisciplinary research and a successful interplay between theory, experimentation, and application.

Since the winter semester of 2022, 120 students have begun their studies in human medicine at the University of Oldenburg each year. Starting in the winter semester of 2026/27, enrollment will increase to 200 first-year students per year. A total of 128 students have completed the medical degree program (as of November 2023). In addition, 190 students* in the international master’s program “Neurocognitive Psychology” celebrated their successful graduation (* Since 2018, trend in graduate numbers (case statistics) by degree program, HIS, as of June 17, 2024).

Starting in the 2020/21 winter semester, the faculty will offer the master’s program in “Molecular Biomedicine” with 25 spots, which bridges the gap between patient-oriented/clinical research and basic research. The program delves deeply into the molecular and cellular aspects of biology, with a particular focus on medical contexts and challenges. Since the 2021/22 winter semester, the “Healthcare Delivery Research" master’s program has been offered, also with 25 spots. It addresses key issues in healthcare delivery and contributes to the evidence-based advancement of healthcare. Starting in the 2024/25 winter semester, the new master’s program “Nursing - Advanced Nursing Practice (ANP)” will be offered at School VI. It is aimed at graduates of relevant bachelor’s or equivalent programs, including nursing, health sciences, midwifery, or therapeutic sciences. Brand new: Starting in the 2025/26 winter semester, the faculty will offer the master’s program “Data Science and Machine Learning”. This English-language program trains experts in data analysis and data architecture who wish to pursue careers in fields such as healthcare and healthcare delivery.

Research at the School VI can look back on great successes due to the close integration of basic research, clinical research and application orientation - for example in hearing research with the Cluster of Excellence Hearing4all or the SFB Hearing Acoustics. Psychology was also highlighted by the Scientific Commission of Lower Saxony as a flagship of Lower Saxony's psychology. Research is being expanded across disciplines and borders by the more than 60 newly appointed professors at School VI, including collaboration between health services research as another research focus and the Aletta Jacobs School of Public Health in Groningen as part of the Cross-Border Institute for Health Systems and Prevention.

About Research

Research funding is provided, among other sources, by the Research Pool, which supports the development of competitive clinical research at School VI of Medicine and Health Sciences. Funding is directed in particular toward projects that foster collaboration with the University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG) as well as interfaculty collaboration.

The profile initiatives and areas of potential are intended to strengthen collaborative and clinical research as well as cross-departmental cooperation, and to further expand UMO’s clinical research profile.

The intramural funding makes optimal use of the clinical care priorities and research strengths of the collaborating partner hospitals, thereby creating an attractive environment for science and research.

• Profile Initiative: Early Development
• Profile Initiative: University Diagnostic Center
• Area of Potential: mobileHealth

Research Funding

Science Bulletin 2025 of the School VI Medicine and Health Sciences

Science Bulletin 2024 of the School VI Medicine and Health Sciences

Science Bulletin 2023 of the School VI Medicine and Health Sciences 

Science Bulletin 2022 of the School VI Medicine and Health Sciences 

Science Bulletin 2021 of the School VI Medicine and Health Sciences 

Science Bulletin 2020 of the School VI Medicine and Health Sciences 

Science Bulletin 2019 of the School VI Medicine and Health Sciences 

In addition to cross-border medical training, further courses of study in the fields of biomedicine and health services research are available for early career researchers. The English-language master's programs in Neurocognitive Psychology, Neuroscience, Molecular Biomedicine and Engineering Physics strengthen the internationalization of the faculty. The program "Physics, Medicine, Engineering" is the link between the natural sciences and the medical fields of the faculty. In addition, there is the possibility to complete structured doctoral programs entirely in English. Furthermore, interested students can pursue both a doctorate and a scientific career at the University of Oldenburg through various internal funding opportunities for scientists. Here, the doctoral programs Dr. med./MD-PhD., Dr. rer. nat./PhD/Dr. phil., Dr.-Ing., Dr. rer. medic. up to the post-doc phase, including clinician and medical scientist programs, are worth mentioning.

To the promotion of early career researchers

The plan is to further expand the number of places on the model course in human medicine. From the winter semester of 2021/22, 120 first-year students will start in Oldenburg. In the final stage, 200 new students per year are planned. With the further increase in the number of students, the number of professorships and departments will also continue to rise, so that the research strength can be expanded. A special focus will be on strengthening clinical research.

An important goal of the faculty is to intensify the cooperation with Groningen. For this purpose, a new Memorandum of Understanding was concluded between the University of Oldenburg and the Rijksuniversiteit Groningen in July 2019, which, in addition to teaching, also mentions research as a further cooperation goal. An outstanding example of this is the Cross Border Institute for Healthcare and Prevention (CBI). In addition to joint cross-border medical training, medical care in the border region is also to be more closely linked in the future.

In order to be able to accommodate both teaching and research well through the professorships already appointed and those yet to be appointed, the faculty is planning the construction of additional space in order to be able to offer optimal conditions for medical education and state-of-the-art research. 

In order to adequately accommodate both teaching and research through the professorships that have already been established and those yet to be established, the faculty is planning to construct additional space to provide optimal conditions for medical education and state-of-the-art research.

Work on the new buildings for the University Medicine Oldenburg (UMO) at the Technology Park began in August 2026 with a symbolic groundbreaking ceremony. The first of a total of three construction phases will house not only research facilities but also an anatomy lab. A second research building with approximately 3,400 square meters of usable space is scheduled to be built between 2029 and 2032. The buildings in the first and second construction phases will provide new space for numerous clinical and non-clinical research groups within the Department of Human Medicine - ranging from surgical and internal medicine disciplines to pediatrics and adolescent medicine. This will allow existing temporary temporary solutions to be phased out or reallocated to new research groups. As part of the second construction phase, a parking garage with approximately 130 parking spaces will also be built on the site. The third construction phase will provide additional space for medical education. A cafeteria will also be built there. UMO plans to put the building, with 5,400 square meters of usable floor space, into operation in the mid-2030s.