Medicine and Health
International Conference on "Health, Wellbeing, Competence & Aging"
Date: October 23-24, 2010
Venue: The Chinese University of Hong kong
Organizer: Eurasia-Pacific Uninet, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Medical University of Innsbruck
The two previous aging conferences, organized by Eurasia-Pacific Uninet, were focussing on biochemical, molecular and genetical aspects of aging and diseases, their adequate cure and possible prevention, starting off with understanding the underlying mechanisms, the physiological and pathophysiological changes and approaches to compare and understand health care provisions in developing and developed countries.
In 2010, health itself and its possible expansion are in the focus of interest. Health promotion, the elderly and related topics shall be examined and presented in an interdisciplinary and holistic medical surrounding, leaving space for inter- and transcultural comparison, exchange and learning process.
International Conference on "Prevention of Age-Related Diseases"
Date: October, 28-31, 2009
Venue: Fudan University, Shanghai, China
Organizer: Eurasia-Pacific Uninet, Fudan University
Age and age related changes even in healthy individuals put an enormous burden on public health services and the younger generation which has to support and care for their elderly. There is a marked change ongoing in our societies, which not only requires new thinking about aging population but also measures to cope with inherent problems.
Common aging processes initiate the separation of an aging individual from every day life. Loss of mobility, deterioration of eyesight and hearing loss isolates the elderly. The consequence of isolation is disease and therefore the sharp rise of the needs in providing care. The burden of the public health service and society to support and care for the elderly is thus increasing. Prevention of age related diseases goes therefore far beyond the classical curative medicine - it involves the society as a whole and targets age related health measures.
The goals of prevention are therefore to reduce consequences of age related diseases, disorders and disabilities. The aim of this conference was to discuss the ways and possibilities leading to the aforementioned goals of prevention.
International Conference on "Multifacetal Aspects of Aging and Aging Diseases"
Date: October 29-31,2008
Venue: Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China
Organizer: Eurasia-Pacific Uninet, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing
Aging has many facets. Unfortunately, it is not the joy of growing older, but the limitations of the quality of life and health, and decreasing social relationships, that cause people problems. Eurasia-Pacific Uninet and many other Asian countries, met this challenge and organized an international conference from October 29-31, 2008 entitled "Multifacetal Aspects of Aging and Age-Related Diseases".
The goal of the conference was to present to a diversified audience the phenomenon of aging of human beings, the corresponding changes that take place within the body, and the health and social problems associated therewith. Age-related diseases and therapeutic methods not only of prolonging life but, in particular, of improving the quality of life were of special concern. Age-related diseases like demetia, nerodegenerative diseases, cardiovascular and metabolic diseases like adult onset diabetes, were discussed. The most serious topics - caring for the elderly at home, in homes for the aged and in nursing homes, together with palliative care and terminal care - were discussed from both an ethical and economic point of view. Contributions to the aging topic ranged from cellular aging processes to the aging of pets.
The importance of continuing the talks started during this conference was affirmed in different working groups and later on in a final discussion.
A supplement of the "Wiener Klinischen Wochenschrift" (a leading Austrian medical journal) published the scientific contents of the meeting.
The aim of this conference that is to present and discuss approaches to the above questions from Asian and European perspectives, to promote exchange of experience of biological, technical as well as pharmacological and clinical know-how was achieved.
TCM: 2007 Sino-Austrian Expert Forum for Chinese Medicine
Opening of the Sino-Austrian Collaborating Center for Chinese Medical Sciences
Date: September 16-18, 2007
Location: China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing
Organizer: Eurasia-Pacific Uninet, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences
September 16, 2007: Registration, Get-Together and Welcome-Dinner (Host: China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences)
September 17, 2007: Official opening ceremony for the "Sino-Austrian TCM Platform"
Keynote Lecture and Workshop "Methodology and Mechanism Study of Application of Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine"
September 18, 2007: Elaboration of a working plan for future cooperation in science, research and teaching
Medical Expert Meetings in Shanghai and Beijing 2006
Together with its member institutions, Eurasia-Pacific Uninet organized meetings between Chinese and Austrian medical universities. The medical expert meetings took place between September 11 and 15, 2006, in Beijing and Shanghai. These meetings aimed at establishing contacts and strengthening cooperation in the fields of medicine and health-related research. Several areas of cooperation, including student and post-doctoral exchange, were discussed among experts from the Austrian medical and non-medical universities of Graz, Innsbruck and Vienna , on the one hand, and experts from Fudan University (Shanghai), Peking University Health Science Center (Peking), Beijing University of Chinese Medicine (Beijing), the China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences (Beijing) and Capital University of Medical Sciences (Beijing), on the other. Eurasia-Pacific Uninet also welcomed the participation of delegates from Xinjiang Medical University (Urumqi) and Shihezi University (Shihezi). The meetings included visits to hospitals both in Shanghai and Beijing, and a whole day was focused on traditional Chinese medicine. Together with its member institutions, Eurasia-Pacific Uninet took the opportunity to further discuss the establishment of a Chinese-Austrian TCM research platform, both in China and Austria.
Eurasia-Pacific Uninet sees the medical expert meetings as an important step in fostering cooperation regarding
- medical training and education in China and Austria,
- exchange programs in the field of medical traineeships and internships, and
- strengthening of further cooperation in various fields of medical research.
In the year 2005 and 2006, Eurasia-Pacific Uninet concentrated, among others, on medicine related activities, where the emphasis has been put for example on Traditional Chinese Medicine and Chinese Medical Sciences, Health Care in Rural Areas and the establishment of the "Austrian Chinese Center fro Biomarker Discovery".
Austrian-Chinese Center for Biomarker Discovery - A Joint Center Center of Peking University, University of Innsbruck and Medical University of Innsbruck
During a working conference in April 2005, Eurasia-Pacific Uninet and Peking University Health Science Center (PUHSC) agreed on the establishment of a joint-center for Biomarker Discovery at PUHSC. (Biomarkers are measurable substances of organisms -e.g. proteins, enzymes, hormones- which indicate illnesses in the hemogram.)
In June 2005, Prof. Bonn, Head of the Institute of Analytical Chemistry and Radiochemistry, University of Innsbruck, Prof. Ke Yang, Vice President of PUHSC and Prof. Winklehner agreed on a collaboration that includes the following issues:
1. Teaching Programs
2. Scientific Projects
3. Scholarships and Guest Professorships
The “Austrian-Chinese Center for Biomarker Discovery at Peking University Health Science Center - A Joint Center of Peking University and University of Innsbruck” will be financially supported by Eurasia-Pacific Uninet, the Austrian GEN-AU Program (GEN-AU = GENome Research in AUstria), company projects and grants as well as by the Beijing Municipal Government. The center was opened in Beijing on May 25, 2006.
Traditional Chinese Medicine and Chinese Medical Sciences
In June 2005, Eurasia-Pacific Uninet and the China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences signed the first Memorandum of Agreement on the following issues:
- an expert workshop (realized in October 2005)
- a major TCM conference (realized in November 2006)
- a Sino-Austrian Institute for TCM (ongoing)
The expert workshop, “Quality Standards in Traditional Chinese Medicine”, came into being in 2005 and took place in Salzburg. The main goal of this workshop, which was attended by experts from China and Austria, was to build a platform for a sustainable exchange of ideas regarding TCM in China and Austria. In the course of the medical expert meetings in Beijing and Shanghai in September 2006, one full day focusing on Traditional Chinese Medicine was organized in Beijing. Experts from China and Austria took the opportunity to exchange further ideas on cooperation, and the China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences presented a first proposal about establishing a joint research platform between China and Austria.
As a next step, the expert conference, “Traditional Chinese Medicine – A Successful Concept for East and West”, took place in November 2006 in Vienna, Austria. During the opening ceremony, the Austrian side presented a proposal for establishing a TCM Research Cluster in Austria closely linked to member institutions of Eurasia-Pacific Uninet in China.
Health Care in Rural Areas
During the International Network Meeting of the Member Institutions in the Eurasia-Pacific Uninet in Beijing in 2004, the network members agreed on organizing a conference in the field of health care in rural areas. In addition, the Austrian Federal Minister of Education, Elisabeth Gehrer, provided information on this topic to the Chinese Ministries of Health and Education during her visit to Beijing in May 2006. The Chinese government encouraged Eurasia-Pacific Uninet to pay attention to this matter, asking them to concentrate particularly on the western Chinese provinces. Therefore Eurasia-Pacific Uninet and Shihezi University, strongly supported by the University of Vienna, organized an international conference on Health Care in Rural Areas in September, 2006. The conference focused on general issues such as the situation of health care in rural China, infectious diseases like hepatitis, Japanese encephalitis and tuberculosis, and the question of providing health care for rural areas through the employment of telemedicine.
The conference served as a platform for international participants to discuss state of the art scientific research and practical experience gained in this field. The conference was the first international meeting at Shihezi University and brought together experts from various fields relating to health care in rural areas.
As a result of the conference, a telemedicine platform was set up. The members of this platform are the Medical University of Vienna, the Medical University of Innsbruck, the Health Sciences University of Mongolia, Fudan University and Siemens Ltd. China.
Eurasia-Pacific Uninet is convinced that the conference was a successful first step in establishing cooperation in the field of health care in rural areas. Eurasia-Pacific Uninet also supports the project of Vienna University and Shihezi University called Capacity Building for Health Care in North-East Asia: Perspectives for Rural Hospitals in Xinjiang China.