Hannover, Germany – European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen returned to her academic roots in late November, delivering a keynote address at the Hannover Medical school (MHH) to honor the legacy of public health pioneer Dr. Friedrich Wilhelm Schwartz. The symposium, attended by current and former students of Schwartz, comes as Europe continues to bolster its public health infrastructure following lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic, and amid ongoing debates about ensuring equitable access to healthcare [[2]].Von der Leyen, a former student of Schwartz, outlined a vision for a more resilient and future-focused health policy, emphasizing the critical need for global collaboration and innovation.
Hannover, Germany – European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen recently delivered the keynote address at a commemorative symposium honoring the legacy of Dr. Friedrich Wilhelm Schwartz, a pioneer in public health in Germany. The event, held at the Hannover Medical School (MHH) in late November, brought together current students and alumni to discuss the future of public health initiatives.
Von der Leyen, a former student of Professor Schwartz in the 1980s, spoke alongside MHH President Prof. Dr. Denise Hilfiker-Kleiner and other leading experts including Prof. Dr. Andreas Seidler, Prof. Stefan Willich, and Prof. Dr. Ulla Walter. The symposium, titled “Public Health – Research, Teaching, Shaping the Future – From Idea to Impact in Healthcare,” focused on Schwartz’s contributions as director of the MHH’s Institute for Epidemiology, Social Medicine and Health Systems Research from 1985 to 2009. This gathering highlights the ongoing importance of public health leadership and innovation in addressing global health challenges.
In her opening remarks, von der Leyen described Professor Schwartz as a visionary who consistently challenged conventional thinking. “He was one who dared to think things that no one had thought before. He forged a path through the dense undergrowth. He embodied that as a professor, as a teacher, as a mentor,” she stated.
Von der Leyen also shared a personal anecdote about her time as a public health student and research assistant in the late 1990s. Facing the challenge of completing a required internship while pregnant, she received an innovative solution from Schwartz: a remote, computer-based internship. This forward-thinking approach allowed her to continue her studies without interruption. “For Schwartz, every single life mattered and the conviction that all people deserve equal opportunities for a healthy life,” von der Leyen explained.
Building on Schwartz’s legacy, von der Leyen outlined four key pillars for a resilient health policy. These include global responsibility, foresight, innovation, and trust.
Regarding global responsibility, she emphasized the lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, stating that national approaches are insufficient in an interconnected world. She highlighted Europe’s commitment to solidarity through overcoming fragmentation and exporting vaccines, as well as the “Global Gateway” initiative, which invests in building vaccine and medicine production capacity in Africa, Asia, and Latin America to reduce dependence on other regions.
Von der Leyen stressed the importance of foresight in anticipating and preparing for future health crises, particularly those related to climate change and the spread of tropical diseases into Europe. She pointed to the establishment of the EU agency HERA and the European Health Union as steps taken to secure supply chains and enable a response to new pathogens within 100 days.
The European Commission President also discussed the potential of technological advancements, particularly artificial intelligence (AI), for early detection of diseases like cancer and cardiovascular disease, and for accelerating drug development. However, she underscored the need to ensure that innovation serves humanity and that patient data protection remains a top priority.
Finally, von der Leyen addressed the critical role of trust in public health, particularly in countering misinformation and manipulation that undermine confidence in science. She cited successful HPV vaccine campaigns in Ireland as an example of how concerted public education can shift public opinion.
Concluding her address, von der Leyen emphasized the importance of academic freedom in attracting top researchers to Europe. She noted the significant increase in applications for EU research grants as a sign of optimism. “If we succeed in further strengthening the pillars of responsibility, foresight, innovation and trust, I look with confidence into the future despite the current global disorder,” she said.
