Minister of Education Wanka visited MHB
Brandenburg an der Havel, 10 July 2017
Prof. Dr. Johanna Wanka, Minister of Education and Research and member of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s federal government, visited the MHB campus in Brandenburg an der Havel to learn about the current status of development in research and teaching. Summarizing her visit, Minister Wanka declared herself impressed by what has been achieved over a short period, and convinced that MHB is moving in the right direction.
Students had given her a tour of BLITZ, the new Brandenburg interdisciplinary learning and training facility where practice oriented model units prepare future physicians for patient contacts. Another focus during her visit was on research. Prof. Dr. René Mantke, Vice Dean for Research and Academic Affairs, presented developments at MHB to date as well as future perspectives, not least with reference to the Brandenburg Health Campus. He underlined first positive trends in the challenging task of promoting research. He was pleased to note that MHB already meets demands for a stronger scientific basis in student education frequently made in the debate on reforms of medical training, and mentioned the 8-week research internship for MHB students as evidence of this.
The Minister showed particular interest in the MHB focus on medical care and health of an ageing population and corresponding complaints. She underlined the importance of guaranteed medical care in rural areas, and in this context mentioned WIR, a recently established structural development programme to support change in economically weak regions in East Germany via targeted innovations. Innovative capacity, so Wanka, is the key to a promising future in all regions.
One topic to be addressed in the programme will be ways to ensure “high-quality medical care in shrinking regions”; 150 million EUR will be available for this purpose during a pilot phase up to the end of 2019. The Minister explicitly encouraged her hosts at MHB to apply for funding from the programme.
