When strong institutions work together, impact grows! From May 11-12, 2026, the Open Medical Institute and Maastricht University hosted the satellite symposium “Leading under Scarcity” at the Medical University of Varna, Bulgaria. The event brought together 41 participants, all of whom completed the full two-day program and received certificates of attendance.
The cohort was highly diverse and interdisciplinary, including OMI alumni, six-year medical students, PhD students, young physicians, public health professionals, and academic educators from medical universities across Bulgaria. The strong interest and active engagement throughout the symposium created an exceptionally dynamic and collaborative learning environment.
The program combined lectures, simulation exercises, policy discussions, group work, and reflective sessions. Participants particularly appreciated the practical and interactive format of the symposium, especially the scarcity simulation game “Who Gets the Last ICU Bed?”, the policy pitch group assignment on arterial hypertension, the leadership and decision-making exercises, and the integration of public health, economics, leadership, and patient-centered perspectives.
Speakers included OMI faculty members Prof. Milena Pavlova (Maastricht University), Prof. Katarzyna Czabanowska (Maastricht University), and Dr. Rositsa Koleva-Kolarova (University of Oxford). Local contribution was provided by Prof. Dr. Desislava Vankova (Medical University of Varna).
The symposium was officially opened by Prof. Dr. Rouzha Pancheva, Vice Director of the Research Institute at the Medical University of Varna. The Rector of the Medical University of Varna, Prof. Dr. Dimitar Raykov, warmly welcomed the participants, shared his personal experience as an OMI alumnus, and emphasized the importance of international educational collaboration. OMI CEO Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Aulitzky delivered an engaging presentation about the OMI and its programs, with particular focus on the institute’s impact in Bulgaria.
Participant feedback was overwhelmingly positive regarding the organization, relevance, and usefulness of the symposium. Many participants highlighted the inspiring atmosphere, the practical orientation of the training, and the opportunity to work in interdisciplinary groups.
Representative participant comments included:
- “The symposium fully met its overall learning objectives.”
- “The lectures were very insightful and interactive.”
- “I learned new approaches to healthcare leadership, teamwork, and decision-making under uncertainty.”
- “The practical tasks challenged us and turned all of us into equally active participants.”
- “I hope the university will organize more similar events in the future.”
Participants also appreciated the reflective and human-centered dimension of the program, particularly the final exercise, “Write a Brief Message to Your Future Self as a Healthcare Leader.”
From an organizational perspective, the symposium was perceived as a major academic success for our university. It also received strong institutional support and media visibility.
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More InformationImportantly, the event was organized within the framework of two significant anniversaries: the 65th anniversary of the Medical University of Varna and the 25th anniversary of the Faculty of Public Health.
We are sincerely grateful to Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Aulitzky, Ms. Stephanie Faschang, Prof. Katarzyna Czabanowska, Prof. Milena Pavlova, and Dr. Rositsa Koleva-Kolarova for their trust, support, and partnership. For us, hosting this symposium was both an honor and an inspiring milestone in the development of public health and leadership education in Bulgaria.
Report by:
Prof. Dr. Desislava Vankova
Department of Social Medicine and Health Care Organization | Medical University of Varna
