On Saturday, December 13, 2025, ASH Berlin celebrated the graduates of the Bachelor's degree course "Interprofessional Healthcare - online" in the Audimax. The afternoon was characterized by recognition for academic achievements, for professional perseverance - and for the attitude of consistently understanding healthcare as a team task.
A prelude that makes attitude visible
The ceremony was opened by course director Prof. Dr. Heidi Höppner. In her welcoming address, she emphasized what students achieve in this study format: they develop their specialist knowledge while continuing their day-to-day work and sharpen their view beyond the boundaries of their own profession. This was followed by words of welcome from the Dean of Faculty II (Health, Education and Training), Prof. Dr. Michael Erhart.
The keynote speech "Interprofessional skills for health and the healthcare system of tomorrow" by Dr. rer. medic. h. c. Helmut Hildebrandt (CEO of OptiMedis AG) set the tone. The title summed up the essence of the topic: cooperation that does not stop at good intentions, but becomes effective through clear roles, common goals and coordinated communication. However, the step from intention to practice is a long one - it requires time and, above all, empowerment of future graduates in order to live this attitude in the long term."
Awards and honors: performance that makes an impact
The award winners were then presented with their awards. Lilly Kronenbitter and Anna Schulz were honored for their theses. The ceremony thus also focused on the academic quality with which the graduates reflect and develop the practice of interprofessional healthcare. Honouring the graduates - visibly, by name, collectively - made it clear that a degree is not only an individual success in terms of character, but also a contribution to the professionalization of a field that relies on coordinated, patient-oriented collaboration.
After the break, former students were given the opportunity to look back and look ahead during "The alumni have the floor ...". The program not only built a bridge between study and practice, but also dispelled a prejudice: The testimonials impressively showed that deep personal bonds and a strong sense of togetherness can also develop in online degree courses. This made it clear that learning in the healthcare sector does not end with the presentation of certificates, but continues as a joint, networked development process. The event concluded with a celebratory toast and a joint finale - a fitting conclusion that not only marked the successful completion of the course, but also highlighted the network that grows within an interprofessional degree program.
