Thinking Beyond Disciplinary Boundaries: PMU at the European Forum Alpbach 2026
How are health, climate change, politics and social innovation interconnected? At the European Forum Alpbach 2026, three representatives of Paracelsus Medical University (PMU) explored these and other questions about the future. The focus was on interdisciplinary exchange, health policy perspectives and valuable insights for academic studies and research.
Health is no longer solely a matter of medical treatment and nursing care. Social developments, political decisions, economic conditions and environmental changes all play a significant role in shaping how health is achieved, maintained and promoted.
The European Forum Alpbach 2026 highlighted the importance of addressing these interconnected challenges together. Two PMU scholarship holders, Anna-Maria Kölbl (PhD Nursing Practice & Leadership) and Valentina Sasano (Human Medicine), participated in the forum. Barbara Fixl, a PhD student in Medical Science and Research Scientist at PMU's Institute of Ecomedicine, returned to the forum after participating as a scholarship holder the previous year.
Bringing Nursing Perspectives into Discussions That Shape the Future
For Anna-Maria Kölbl, participating in the forum was a deliberate opportunity to look beyond the boundaries of her own discipline. Her aim was to bring a nursing perspective into discussions addressing the major challenges shaping society's future.
She found the "One Health Studio" particularly inspiring. One of her key takeaways was that innovation often does not begin with a ready-made solution, but with a shift in perspective: asking new questions, challenging established ways of thinking and being willing to approach familiar problems differently. These insights will also inform her research on Nurse Entrepreneurship.
Another memorable session was "Your Voice on Wealth – A Citizens' Assembly". For Kölbl, it highlighted how differently people can perceive the same societal issues and how important it is to bring diverse perspectives into meaningful dialogue.
She summarises her central insight in one sentence: “Nursing belongs in the rooms where the future is being shaped.”
After all, many of the challenges facing nursing are also political, social, economic and environmental issues.
Medicine and Health Policy in Direct Dialogue
For medical student Valentina Sasano, the European Forum Alpbach offered a new perspective on the relationship between medicine and politics. While her studies focus on treating diseases and maintaining health, the forum highlighted just how profoundly political decisions influence healthcare systems and access to medical services.
Particularly memorable were her personal encounters with the Austrian and Estonian Ministers of Health, as well as her participation in a small, informal meeting of heads of state from German-speaking countries.
These encounters gave her insights into different political perspectives and decision-making processes. They also demonstrated the importance of considering medical issues beyond the boundaries of one's own field.
Sasano took away one central insight: The future of medicine is not shaped solely in hospitals and research institutions, but also through political and societal debates. This makes it all the more important for the next generation of medical professionals to actively contribute to these discussions.
One Health: Connecting Health, Climate and Politics
For Barbara Fixl, the forum also offered valuable connections to her scientific work at PMU's Institute of Ecomedicine.
As a member of the Extended Board of Club Alpbach Salzburg, she once again participated in the Conference Days. She was particularly interested in the sessions focusing on health and One Health, which closely align with her research interests.
Discussions on affordable medicines, global health and food security highlighted the complex challenges involved in ensuring sustainable healthcare.
One of her personal highlights was the session "The Politics of the Plate", which illustrated how closely health, climate change, food systems and political frameworks are interconnected.
Alongside new scientific insights and professional connections, Fixl returned with a strengthened conviction: Health policy issues deserve a much more prominent place in debates about Europe's future.
New Perspectives Through Interdisciplinary Exchange
Beyond the official programme, it was particularly the personal encounters that enriched the participants' experiences.
Anna-Maria Kölbl recalls conversations between sessions, over shared meals, during fireside chats and through spontaneous encounters with people from entirely different backgrounds. A sunrise hike up the Gratlspitz mountain also left a lasting impression – almost a symbol of how shared experiences can open up new perspectives.
The different experiences of the three PMU representatives demonstrate the value of exchange across academic and societal boundaries. Whether in nursing, medicine or ecomedicine, the major health challenges of our time can only be addressed by bringing together different disciplines and perspectives.
Participation in the European Forum Alpbach provided opportunities to establish new connections, gain scientific insights and explore fresh ideas that extend far beyond the event itself, enriching academic studies, research and professional practice.
