Alumni-News: On Good Health and Social Inequality

Question: For seven days, research alumni from 22 countries and numerous scientists from the participating universities and research institutions exchanged ideas on the topic of digital health. What was the purpose of the program?

Strünck: Our core objective is to further strengthen the connections among international researchers and to expand and deepen our joint alumni research network, which includes the four participating universities as well as KIT and DKFZ. Together, we took an interdisciplinary approach to think outside the box and gained a deeper understanding of the diverse approaches taken in the projects.

Question: And you were also able to learn from one another...

Strünck: We, as so-called industrialized nations, were able to learn at least as much from others as they did from us, and we, as local scientists, learned from the alumni—and vice versa. In some cases, for example, digitalization in healthcare is significantly more advanced in countries like those in Africa—if only because of the vast distances that must be covered and a less dense healthcare infrastructure.