Oldenburg on the way to university medicine: City council will decide soon!

Oldenburg on the way to university medicine: City council will decide soon!

Exciting things are happening in the medical landscape in Oldenburg: The city wants to establish the Oldenburg Clinic as the third university hospital in Lower Saxony. The goal is ambitious and the city council will decide next Monday, June 30, 2025, on a revised framework agreement that will form the foundation for this groundbreaking development. Mayor Jürgen Krogmann is optimistic: “We have been working towards this goal for a long time,” he said bibliomed manager reported.

The new agreement regulates the cooperation between the University of Oldenburg, its faculty and the clinic as well as the partner hospitals; this aspect alone shows how well the threads are spun in the region. The Oldenburg Clinic also plans to submit an application to the state of Lower Saxony in order to be officially recognized as a university hospital. This would not only strengthen medical care in the region, but also make a significant contribution to the training of medical students.

Important decisions are pending

The existing collaboration is based on an agreement from 2012, which is now being updated and expanded. This creates an institutional link with the University of Oldenburg. The clinic's new statutes, which specify important responsibilities and participation rights in the areas of research and teaching, will also be up for vote. The city appeals to the state of Lower Saxony to create the formal requirements promptly and to complete the process this year. This is essential because from the winter semester of 2026/27 onwards, 200 students are to be admitted to the human medicine course every year.

But what does this actually mean for the people in Oldenburg and the surrounding area? University hospitals in Germany are not only training centers for medical professionals, but they also offer above-average quality of care. These facilities care for around 1.7 million patients every year and their outpatient clinics cover a wide range of services that go beyond the services offered by regular hospitals. They are legally licensed as hospitals to provide medical care and have highly qualified staff and state-of-the-art medical and technical facilities, making them contact points for complex and rare diseases.

The role of the cooperation partners

Rainer Schoppik, CEO of the clinic, emphasizes the integral role of the cooperation hospitals, which together with the Oldenburg Clinic, the Evangelical Hospital, the Pius Hospital and the Karl Jaspers Clinic form a strong network. Since its founding in 2012, university medicine in Oldenburg has been an outstanding example of successful cooperation in health care and research, largely in collaboration with the Rijksuniversiteit Groningen and other partners.

As the Conference of Ministers of Education emphasizes, the planning, logistical and financial effort of the university hospitals is not entirely insignificant. It is therefore crucial that politicians and health partners work closely together to set the right course for the future. A groundbreaking example could develop in Oldenburg that will have an impact far beyond the city limits.

The City Council's vote on the new framework agreement on Monday is eagerly awaited. With every step towards a university hospital, Oldenburg could set new standards not only as a medical city, but also as a training facility for future doctors. The next few days could be of great importance for the entire region and have a noticeable impact on the healthcare system in Lower Saxony. Let's stay tuned!