Bioethics Study and Training in Europe

11/06/2026

📢 Registrations now open & programme launched!

The full programme has been released and registrations are now open for the upcoming celebration event:

"25 Years of KU Leuven Alumni in Bioethics – Journeys, Reflections and Perspectives from Around the World"

📍 Master of Bioethics Alumni Conference
📅 23–24 September 2026
📌 Leuven, Belgium

With more than 350 alumni from over 75 countries, the Master of Bioethics represents a truly global network. This anniversary conference brings together alumni across generations to reconnect, exchange insights, and reflect on the evolving field of bioethics worldwide. And a nice chance to meet the current researchers and your former professors again!

✅ Registration is now open
✅ Explore the full programme by logging into the Alumni Bioethics group on KU Leuven Connect: [https://connect.kuleuven.cloud/topics/15801/events/214632 ]

The conference is invitational, exclusively open, and free of charge for all Master of Bioethics alumni of the past 25 years.

The event takes place just ahead of the EACME Conference (24–26 September 2026), hosted by KU Leuven’s Centre for Biomedical Ethics and Law.
Looking forward to welcoming our alumni back to Leuven!

In case you have not yet completed our alumni survey, please help us out by giving it a minute. Thank you! https://alum.kuleuven.be/tools/polls/?url=63_H18Sz

09/06/2026

📢 Vacancy: PhD position on research ethics 'Ethical Frameworks for EDI in Clinical Trials'
📍 Utrecht, Netherlands
📅 Application deadline: June 23rd, 2026 (5PM CET)

The Marie Curie doctoral network ‘Advancing Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Clinical Trials’ (EDICT) has a vacancy for a PhD student who is interested in research ethics to join the project and contribute to ethical frameworks for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) in clinical trials. EDICT seeks to address the challenge that participants in clinical trials often don't reflect the diversity of patients, which may impact the safety and efficacy of treatments. Within the network, 16 researchers will be trained to transform how clinical trials are planned, conducted, and reported, while external collaborations will drive sustainable improvement in clinical trial inclusivity.

💡 This vacancy is for position 11, hosted at Bioethics and Health Humanities - UMC Utrecht, where you will tackle the critical ethical questions surrounding EDI in clinical research, moving beyond policy guidelines to create real-world, actionable tools.

What you will do:
- Conduct a conceptual analysis of fairness and inclusion in modern medicine, exploring the shift from ‘protection from research’ to ‘protection through research’.
- Evaluate the ethical challenges and opportunities of current and emerging strategies used to enhance EDI in research.
- Do an in-depth ethical assessment of a specific EDI challenge or approach identified during your research.
- Develop an ethical framework, bridging theory and practice through a practical implementation toolkit (e.g., guidelines, checklists) to help trialists and ethics committees integrate EDI considerations into their work.

🤝 The ideal candidate:
- holds a Master’s Degree in a relevant discipline such as philosophy, applied ethics, or sociology;
- has a strong academic record;
- is proficient in English (Dutch proficiency is an advantage);
- has strong interests in (bio-)ethical questions regarding EDI and clinical trials and is open to using both philosophical and empirical methods to answer these questions;
- is able to work independently and in a team.

❓ For more information visit the EDICT website: https://edictproject.eu/ (position 11)

Please note that a mobility rule applies: "The researcher must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the Netherlands for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately before the contract will start."

Online interviews will be scheduled on July 3rd, 2026. Presumed starting date is 1 September 2026.

EDICT is a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Doctoral Network training 16 PhD researchers to transform equity, diversity and inclusion in clinical trials across Europe.

04/06/2026

📢 Vacancy: PhD position on research integrity
📍 Leuven, Belgium
📅 Application deadline: July 31st, 2026

The interdisciplinary Centre for Biomedical Ethics and Law - KU Leuven is looking for a full-time PhD student to conduct research on research integrity within an internationally leading multidisciplinary team, starting no later than December 1st, 2026.

💡 This research project investigates the ongoing shift of research integrity from an individual ethical responsibility toward corporate-style compliance and regulation. By analyzing how corporate structures institutionalize ethics, the project will examine why strict rules alone are often considered insufficient to prevent scientific malpractice. Ultimately, the researcher will develop a compliance model and work to draw normative conclusions for science policy. This will contribute towards addressing some unintended consequences of the institutionalisation of research integrity, which apart from the obvious growth in administrative workload might result in an ambivalent attitude towards integrity in general.

🤝 The ideal candidate:
- holds a Master’s Degree in Philosophy, Theology, Bioethics, Medicine, Economy, Social Sciences, Psychology or another relevant discipline.
- is enthusiastic, ambitious, dynamic, flexible, and open to challenges and developments
- has good organizational skills, can work independently and make decisions
- has excellent social and written communication skills in English; speaking Dutch is a substantial asset
- has experience with social scientific methods, such as qualitative methods.

❓ For more information please contact Prof. Dr. Kris Dierickx, mail: [email protected]

02/06/2026

📢 Ethics, Policy & Innovation for AI in healthcare - Health Nexus Forum
📍 Leuven, Belgium
📅 June 24th-26th, 2026

At the end of this month, Leuven will host a three‑day, open‑to‑all gathering ‘Ethics, Policy & Innovation: Shaping Responsible AI through Digital Literacy and Governance’ where participants will break the silos and explore the present and future of digital health, ethics, and innovation together.

AI has massive potential to accelerate healthcare research, from clinical genomics to drug discovery. But technology cannot thrive in isolation. To truly benefit patients, we must bridge the digital divide and foster deep, interdisciplinary collaboration between engineering, medicine, and policy.

Therefore, the Health Nexus Forum brings together academia, WHO, EU policy voices, patient representatives and innovators to create a dialogue on diverse topics, such as:

- Bias, fairness, and human rights
- Digital health literacy
- Regulatory frameworks
- Consent, trust, data and exploitation

With rapid innovations, it's important to engage in dialogue and address the friction points of AI in medicine head-on. How do we ensure equity for women, children, and vulnerable communities? How do we build "human-in-the-loop" systems that doctors and patients actually trust? And who really controls digital health?

"So, here's to using AI to accelerate healthcare research while ensuring that we all speak the same language – whether it's the language of algorithms or the language of anatomy!" - Christos Chatzichristos 🩺📊

🎟️ Tickets are €50. Registration is required.
🔗 More information and registration: https://www.vaia.be/en/courses/health-nexus-forum

28/05/2026

📢 Vacancy: Professor in Leadership & Management in Healthcare
📍 Leuven, Belgium
📅 Deadline: 24 August 2026

The Department of Public Health and Primary Care at KU Leuven is hiring a full-time Professor in Leadership and Management in Healthcare.

They are looking for an internationally oriented researcher with a strong profile in healthcare leadership, combining theoretical insight with real-world impact. The role focuses on advancing research on leadership in complex healthcare systems and contributing to high-quality, research-based education.

💡 Areas of interest include (but are not limited to):
- Leadership development in healthcare professionals
- Management strategies across care settings (e.g., primary care, elderly care, mental health)
- Leadership impact on care quality, workforce wellbeing, and system sustainability

🤝 Ideal candidates have a strong international research profile, experience with funding, and an interest in interdisciplinary collaboration.

🔗 More information:

Professor in Leiderschap en Management in zorg

26/05/2026

📢 Vacancy (Dutch speakers) | Assistant in Health Communication

The Department of Public Health and Primary Care (KU Leuven) invites applications for:

Assistant in Health Communication with teaching & research assignment (ref. AAP-2026-77)

🗓 Apply by: 5 June 2026
📍 KU Leuven, Belgium

This position combines teaching, educational innovation, and PhD research within the STEPS Skills Centre, under Prof. Eline Dancet.

You will:
- Teach communication skills to medical & dental students (role-play, feedback)
- Develop blended learning (videos, virtual training, experiential learning)
- Support and coordinate teaching teams
- Conduct research on health communication in sensitive contexts

We welcome candidates with:
- A relevant Master’s degree (health, social or educational sciences)
- Strong communication skills (Dutch & English required)
- Interest in teaching, research, and innovation

🎓 A 2-year full-time position (extendable up to 6 years) in a dynamic, impactful research and teaching environment.
🔗 More info & apply: https://www.kuleuven.be/personeel/jobsite/jobs/60661402
📩 Contact: [email protected]

STEPS is een overkoepelende naam voor het vaardigheidscentrum van de Faculteit Geneeskunde (Campus Gasthuisberg). STEPS staat voor 'Skills Training Education Proficiency Surgery' en drukt kernachtig uit waar deze centra voor staan.

21/05/2026

📢 Postdoc Vacancy Announcement | Oldenburg, Germany

The Department of Ethics in Medicine at the University of Oldenburg invites applications for two postdoctoral positions in medical ethics and related fields.

🗓 Application deadline: 31 May 2026
📍 Oldenburg, Germany

This is an exciting opportunity to join a vibrant and interdisciplinary research environment addressing ethical issues in medicine, healthcare, and society. The positions offer the chance to engage in high-quality research, contribute to teaching, and collaborate within an established academic team.

The call welcomes candidates who:

- Have a strong background in medical ethics, bioethics, philosophy, or related disciplines
- Show interest in interdisciplinary research and collaboration
- Have a good command of German (required)

The positions are ideal for early-career researchers looking to further develop their academic trajectory in a supportive and internationally engaged setting.

🔗 Vacancy details and application information: https://uol.de/job/2-postdoc-stellen-in-der-abteilung-fuer-ethik-in-der-medizin-1064

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14/05/2026

Mark your calendar & save the date for a special celebration event!

"25 years of KU Leuven Alumni in Bioethics - Journeys, Reflections and Perspectives from Around the World"

📢 Master of Bioethics Alumni Conference
📅 September 23rd-24th, 2026
📍 Leuven, Belgium

With more than 300 alumni from over 70 countries, the Master of Bioethics has grown into a truly international network of professionals in bioethics. We warmly look forward to welcoming you back to Leuven in September to reconnect with one another, share your network, and celebrate the impact of our program across generations.

This Master of Bioethics Alumni conference is an invitational conference, exclusively open and free of charge for all our Alumni of the past 25 years.

This conference will take place just before the annual EACME Conference, which will be hosted by the KU Leuven, Center for Biomedical Ethics and Law (24-26 September).

More practicals about the program and registration will follow soon.

Want to help us? Spread the word to other alumni and complete the Alumni informational survey! You can find the link here: https://alum.kuleuven.be/tools/polls/?url=63_H18Sz

Looking forward to seeing you back in Leuven!
Prof. Yvonne Denier (current programme director)
Prof. Pascal Borry (programme director 2016-2024)
Prof. Paul Schotsmans (programme director 2000-2016)

See also: https://www.kuleuven.be/programmes/master-bioethics

Discover the Master of Bioethics at KU Leuven in Belgium. Focus on bioethics, with topics in the fields of social, environmental, sexual or global ethics.

05/05/2026

📢 PhD position: Philosophical reflection – impact of digitalisation and AI in livestock farming (Dutch proficiency required)
📍 Wageningen, The Netherlands
📅 Application deadline: May 18th, 2026

As part of the project 'Animal Friendly AI', Wageningen University & Research is looking for a PhD candidate to reflect on the use of AI and sensor technology in livestock farming.

This interdisciplinary position provides the opportunity to study the opportunities and dilemmas of technological revolution in livestock farming — in theory, practice, and in conversation with stakeholders. Through the lens of multispecies justice, you will reflect on the role of digital technologies in the changing human-animal relationship, analyze the normative and epistemic assumptions behind "smart farming" and explore whether AI can foster positive animal welfare.

As a PhD candidate, you will bridge the gap between theory and practice by combining philosophical reflection with qualitative empirical research. Working alongside philosophers, data scientists, and media scholars, you will conduct systematic literature reviews and engage directly with stakeholders in the farming sector to test and assess technology in the field.

Applicants must hold a Master's degree and have a background in Philosophy, Critical Animal Studies, or a related field. Fluency (C1 level) in both Dutch and English is required.

🔗 More information here:

Ben jij gefascineerd door de razendsnelle digitalisering van de veehouderij? Vraag jij je af hoe AI en sensortechnologie onze kijk op dierenwelzijn en de mens dierrelatie veranderen? En wil je onderzoeken welke kansen én dilemma’s deze technologische revolutie met zich meebrengt?