NUHA Annual Summit 2026: Uniting Nordic Excellence in Healthcare
Leaders and experts from the Nordic University Hospital Alliance (NUHA), representing the university hospitals of Oslo, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Helsinki and Reykjavík, gathered in Oslo on 4–5 May 2026 for the NUHA Annual Summit. Together, they reaffirmed their shared commitment to advancing patient care, research, education and innovation across the Nordic region.
Written by: Sandra Dale. Photos & video: Silje Tessem Moan.
The summit marked the formal handover of the NUHA chairmanship from Denmark to Norway, with Oslo University Hospital assuming the role as host and chair for the 2026–2028 period.
Marking the transition, Bjørn Atle Lein Bjørnbeth, CEO at Oslo University Hospital in Norway, highlighted both the responsibility and the opportunity that comes with assuming the NUHA chairmanship:
“Taking over the NUHA chairmanship is both an honour and a commitment. Norway looks forward to building on the strong foundation established by Denmark and to further strengthening Nordic collaboration for the benefit of patients, professionals and society. The real value of NUHA lies in our willingness to learn from each other and to act together. The Annual Summit shows that Nordic collaboration is not just an idea – it is a working model for future healthcare.”
From the chairmanship handover ceremony at the Annual Summit. From the left Rasmus Møgelvang and Bjørn Atle Lein Bjørnbeth.
Hosted in Oslo, the summit brought together CEOs, Steering Committee, Core Task Leads, Working Group leads and members of Enabling Force from all five NUHA hospitals. Under the overarching theme “Uniting Nordic Excellence”, the meeting focused on strengthening cross-border collaboration and identifying concrete actions that can deliver tangible impact in both the short and long term.
The programme included presentations of the NUHA Annual Report, a formal handover of chairmanship, and strategic reflections on how to unleash Nordic advantages in healthcare. Parallel working sessions enabled participants to move from ambition to action, culminating in a plenary poster session where groups presented achievements, quick wins and next steps.
Leadership perspectives
Group photo from the Annual Summit, bringing together participants from across the alliance.
Rasmus Møgelvang, CEO at Rigshospitalet in Copenhagen, Denmark, underscored the importance of collective direction:
“NUHA represents a unique opportunity for Nordic university hospitals to act as one ecosystem. By aligning our strengths, we can accelerate innovation and deliver better outcomes for patients across borders.”
He also highlights the alliance’s capacity to create real change for patients in the Nordic region:
“NUHA is about building a robust and sustainable healthcare system across the Nordic countries. One of the areas expected to have a significant impact on future patients is platform trials, where NUHA has committed to establishing a shared infrastructure that can support evidence across all parts of the healthcare system.“
Matti Bergendahl, CEO at HUS Helsinki University Hospital in Finland, emphasised the role of collaboration in addressing common challenges:
“No single hospital can solve the complex challenges facing healthcare alone. Through NUHA, we are building trust, sharing knowledge and developing solutions together – to the benefit of patients and professionals alike.”
He added:
“The Annual Summit is essential for ensuring that our collaboration remains focused, relevant and firmly grounded in real clinical and operational needs.”
From strategy to action
The Annual Summit provided an opportunity for participants to connect across national borders.
A key feature of this year’s summit was the structured joint workshop format, where Working Groups and Core Task Leads jointly mapped achievements to date, identified quick wins achievable within six months, and defined longer-term ambitions towards the next summit.
Olof Akre, Core Task Lead within Research and Innovation at Karolinska University Hospital in Stockholm, Sweden, reflected on the collaborative dynamic:
“The strength of NUHA lies in its people. Our role is to connect our outstanding experts and lower the barriers to close collaboration across disciplines and institutions.”
Hans Tómas Björnsson, Lead of the Rare Diseases Working Group at Landspítali in Reykjavík, Iceland, highlighted the practical outcomes:
“Working side by side with colleagues from across the Nordics has allowed us to move faster and be more ambitious. The actions we agreed on in Oslo are concrete and achievable – and that is incredibly motivating.”
Strengthening Nordic cooperation
Catherine Bjerke, member of the Steering Committee and Head of National Relations at OUS, guided participants through the two-day Annual Summit.
In addition to the formal programme, participants attended a reception at the Swedish Embassy and a joint summit dinner, reinforcing the importance of relationships and trust in sustained collaboration.
Looking ahead, the NUHA Annual Summit 2026 confirmed the alliance’s shared ambition to act as a leading force for excellence in healthcare, research and education. With clear priorities, defined ownership and strengthened relationships, NUHA moves into the next phase of Nordic cooperation with renewed momentum.
Catherine Bjerke, Member of the Steering Committee and Head of International Relations at Oslo University Hospital, emphasised the importance of continuity and commitment:
“What sets NUHA apart is our ability to turn trust and shared ambition into concrete collaboration. The summit in Oslo gave us clarity on where we are heading – and who is responsible for taking us there.”