(L-R) Pascal Stammet, Luxembourg; Bernard Ries, Fribourg; Katharina Fromm, Fribourg; Simone Niclou, Luxembourg; Stéphanie Obertin, Luxembourg; Raphaël Bonvin, Fribourg; Léon Diederich, Luxembourg; Marc Grabowski, Luxembourg; Veronika Favre, Fribourg;
Credit: MESR
On Wednesday 25 and Thursday 26 March 2026, Luxembourg’s Minister of Research and Higher Education, Stéphanie Obertin, with a delegation from the ministry and the University of Luxembourg visited the University of Fribourg in Switzerland to support the development of a master’s degree in medicine in Luxembourg.
The visit, aimed to help the government to establish a complete basic medical education pathway in Luxembourg, including a new master’s programme that will complement the existing bachelor’s degree in medicine.
According to Luxembourg’s Ministry of Research and Higher Education this visit forms part of the government’s ongoing efforts to progressively offer a complete basic medical education in Luxembourg, notably through the establishment of a Master’s degree in Medicine at the University of Luxembourg, complementing the existing Bachelor’s programme in Medicine.
The University of Fribourg presents a particularly relevant model for Luxembourg, both in terms of the size of its programme and the number of students, which align with national ambitions, stated the ministry. Discussions focused in particular on the organisation of the Master’s programme in Medicine, the integration of clinical teaching, as well as methods of collaboration with hospital structures.
During the visit, Minister Obertin met with the Rector of the University of Fribourg, Katharina Fromm, as well as State Councillor Sylvie Bonvin-Sansonnens. Working meetings also took place with several representatives from the academic community, particularly from the Department of Medicine.
The Luxembourg delegation also visited the Fribourg Hospital, a central partner in medical training, in order to examine in practice the link between university teaching and clinical experience.
Alongside the official programme, Minister Obertin also met Luxembourg students who are members of the Friblëtz circle, with whom she discussed their academic paths, their experiences in Fribourg and their professional plans.
At the end of the visit, Minister Obertin stated: “The development of a Master’s degree in Medicine in Luxembourg represents a structuring step for our higher education system, for the attractiveness of our country, and above all an essential element to ensure the sustainability of our healthcare system. The exchanges in Fribourg highlight the relevance of human-scale training models that are strongly anchored in their local hospital ecosystem. They provide valuable insights to help us build a high-quality educational offer tailored to Luxembourg’s needs.”
According to the ministry, this visit formed part of a broader approach to strengthen higher education in Luxembourg by developing targeted, high-quality programmes and by consolidating the country’s attractiveness as a knowledge-based society capable of training and attracting talent.
