From May 27th to 29th, 2026, our doctoral candidates and some of the principal investigators came together at the Castle Hotel (Schloss Hotel) in Gerzensee for the annual Spring School, which was a writing retreat.
The program covered everything from academic writing and grant applications to navigating healthcare policy and the business side of product development.
Day 1: Writing Basics & Healthcare Policy
We started Wednesday morning with a welcome coffee before the kick-off with the Writing Course with Simon Milligan from the University of Bern. In the afternoon, Hanneke Merten from Amsterdam UMC took over to introduce us to Healthcare Policy. We closed the first day with a presentation-karaoke evening where the DCs showed off their spontaneous presentation skills. 🙂
Day 2: Product Development and Dissemination from a Business Perspective
Thursday morning picked up where the writing course left off. After lunch, Antje-Christin Knopf from Sitem Bern shifted our focus away from academic writing to Product Development and Dissemination, teaching us how to look at research from a business perspective. In the afternoon, we organized a hike in the Swiss mountains.
Day 3: Grant Writing & Wrap-up
On our final morning, Simon Milligan joined us again to give us insights on how umbrella writing and journal writing differ. Juliane Kämmer from the University of Bern then shared practical strategies for Grant Applications and offered some helpful tips for grant writing.
A big thank you to all participants who brought great energy and ideas to this year’s event. See you soon in Amsterdam!