The Anniversary Conference on Nursing Science on Thursday, 28th of january 2027 will bring together international and Swiss nursing researchers, experts in advanced nursing practice, educators, and healthcare leaders to explore the future of nursing science from a distinctly Swiss perspective.
The first international conference organized by the Swiss Association for Nursing Science underscores Switzerland’s strong commitment to high-quality research, innovation, and evidence-based practice. The event offers an excellent platform for exchanging ideas, strengthening interdisciplinary collaboration, and highlighting the role of nursing science in developing forward-looking solutions to national and international challenges in healthcare.
A platform for innovation and collaboration
The 2027 Swiss Anniversary Conference on Nursing Science promotes dynamic exchange between academia and practice. Participants can look forward to a diverse program featuring keynote addresses, oral presentations, symposia, poster sessions, and networking opportunities.
National and international keynote speakers will address key issues such as the following:
- Why is nursing a science—and why is it important? What unique contribution does nursing science make as a discipline, and how do healthcare organizations, healthcare systems, and patient care benefit from its advancements?
- How is nursing science evolving in Switzerland and internationally, and what future challenges and opportunities will shape its continued development?
- What role should nursing science play in interprofessional healthcare, and what visions and recommendations can promote effective interdisciplinary collaboration?
A central component of the 2027 Nursing Science Anniversary Conference is the presentation of current research findings from Switzerland and the international community. Researchers, nursing professionals with advanced expertise, leaders, faculty, students, and practitioners have been invited to submit their abstracts and present their projects as part of parallel sessions, symposia, and poster presentations. Currently, over 100 abstracts are being reviewed by the scientific advisory board. The sessions provide a forum for specialized discussions, methodological exchange, and critical reflection on new findings that advance nursing science and evidence-based nursing.
Whether innovative research designs, new models of care, theoretical developments, or practice-oriented projects—the diversity of the presentations underscores the breadth and dynamism of nursing science. At the same time, the various formats foster dialogue between emerging and established nursing professionals, as well as between academia, practice, and health policy.
The conference language is English.
Anniversary Dinner on Wednesday, January 27, 2027
As the Swiss Society for Nursing Science celebrates its 30th anniversary, we are hosting an anniversary dinner on January 27 (the evening before the conference). We would be delighted if you could join us for the celebration. Please submit your registration for this event at the same time as your conference registration.
Freuen Sie sich auf führende Expertinnen und Experten aus der Pflegewissenschaft:
Prof Dr Sabina De Geest
Sabina De Geest is Professor of Nursing and founding Director of the Institute of Nursing Science at the University of Basel. She is also a part-time professor at KU Leuven and holds an adjunct faculty position at Johns Hopkins University. .
She leads the international, interdisciplinary PIONEER research group, which investigates behavioral and psychosocial aspects of chronic illness, including medication adherence, transplantation, rheumatology, and geriatric care. Her work uses implementation science to develop innovative care models, often supported by eHealth technologies. She also leads the Psychosocial Interest Group of the Swiss Transplant Cohort Study and co-founded the Swiss Implementation Science Network.
Prof Dr Dr Claus Beisbart
Claus Beisbart is a professor of philosophy of science at the University of Bern. He is affiliated not only with the Institute of Philosophy but also with the Multidisciplinary Center for Infectious Diseases. His research focuses on scientific methods, with an emphasis on the use of AI in science and medicine. From 2015 to 2020, he was co-editor of the Journal for General Philosophy of Science. For several years now, he has also been co-teaching a course on the philosophy of science for healthcare professionals in nursing and related fields at the Bern University of Applied Sciences.
Baroness Prof Dr Anne Marie Rafferty, DBE
Baroness Anne Marie Rafferty DBE is a professor of health and nursing policy and the former dean of the Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery, and Palliative Care at King’s College London. As a former president of the Royal College of Nursing, she is a historian and an internationally recognized expert on health policy, workforce issues, and nursing.
She was the first nurse to earn a Ph.D. from the University of Oxford and to receive a Harkness Fellowship in health policy. Among other things, Rafferty advised the Prime Minister’s Commission on the Future of Nursing and Midwifery, the parliamentary review of health and social care in Wales, and the Health Commission of The Times.
She is a fellow of various academies, including the Academy of Medical Sciences and the U.S. National Academy of Medicine. For her contributions to nursing, she was appointed Dame Commander of the British Empire in 2020 and named a life peer in the British House of Lords in 2025.
“Mirror, mirror … how others see us and how we should see ourselves”
In this session, I’ll draw on my experiences of how we are perceived from the perspective of a nurse and a member of the House of Lords—as part of the British government.
We often find ourselves on the sidelines, outside the corridors of power, looking in from the outside—with what feels like very little room to maneuver to bring about change. I will argue that others do not see us that way at all. We are the professional group in which the public places the greatest trust. This is an enormous vote of confidence and a valuable political asset.
Furthermore, since joining the legislature, I have learned that my fellow council members hold us in high regard, respect our work, and want to support us in better realizing our potential in the healthcare sector. We have allies who appreciate who we are and what we accomplish.
In politics, just like in caregiving, it’s all about relationships. That’s our superpower. If we build relationships, strengthen caregiving, advocate for it with confidence, and work strategically toward achieving our goals together with the government, we can succeed.
Anniversary Conference on January 28, 2027, in Bern
30 Years of the Swiss Association for Nursing Science
“Advancing Nursing Practice Through Science and Innovation
Preliminary Conference Program
Time | Program item | Details / Reference:in |
9:00 AM | Welcome | Prof Dr Sabine Hahn, President of VfP-APSI |
09:15 | Keynote 1 | Prof Dr Dr Claus Beisbart – Titel folgt |
09:45 | Keynote 2 | Prof Dr Sabina De Geest – Title follows |
10:15 | Brief Discussion | |
10:30 | Break | |
11:00 | Concurrent Sessions | P1.1, P2.1, P3.1, P4.1, P5.1, P6.1 |
11:30 | Concurrent Sessions | P1.2, P2.2, P3.2, P4.2, P5.2, P6.2 |
12:00 | Concurrent Sessions | P1.3, P2.3, P3.3, P4.3, P5.3, P6.3 |
12:30 | Lunch Break | |
14:00 | Concurrent Sessions | P1.4, P2.4, P3.4, P4.4, P5.4, P6.4 |
14:30 | Concurrent Sessions | P1.5, P2.5, P3.5, P4.5, P5.5, P6.5 |
15:00 | Concurrent Sessions | P1.6, P2.6, P3.6, P4.6, P5.6, P6.6 |
15:30 | Concurrent Sessions | P1.7, P2.7, P3.7, P4.7, P5.7, P6.7 |
16:00 | Break | |
16:30 | Keynote 3 | Baroness Prof Dr Anne Marie Rafferty CBE, King’s College, UK (confirmed) – “Mirror, mirror … how others see us and how we should see ourselves” |
17:00 | Farewell | Prof Dr Sabine Hahn, President of VfP-APSI |
17:30 | End of the conference |
Prof Dr Véronique de Goumoëns, RN, CNS, PhD
Véronique de Goumoëns is Acting Director General and Full Professor at the Institute and School of Nursing La Source (Lausanne, HES-SO). She promotes an integrated vision connecting education, research, innovation, and services to strengthen knowledge transfer and the impact of nursing science on health systems.
Actively engaged at national and international levels, she has served as Deputy Director of BEST (a JBI Centre of Excellence), is Vice-President of the Swiss Association for Nursing Science (VFP-APSI), and a member of the International Family Nursing Association (IFNA).
Her scientific expertise focuses on the development and implementation of family nursing interventions in acute and community settings, grounded in evidence-based practice and a family systems nursing approach.
Prof Sascha Köpke, Ph.D.
Prof. Dr. Sascha Köpke holds the Chair of Clinical Nursing Science at the University of Cologne. There, he heads the Institute of Nursing Science and oversees the “Clinical Nursing (BSc)” and “Advanced Nursing Practice (MSc)” degree programs. His research focuses on evidence-based nursing, the effectiveness of nursing interventions, and shared decision-making for informed decision-making. He specializes in the development and evaluation of complex interventions and leads a number of current research projects, such as IntVeM and TeReS. Through his methodological expertise, he makes a significant contribution to the scientific foundation and professionalization of clinical nursing practice.
Simon Krutter, M.A., Ph.D.
Simon Krutter, M.A., Ph.D., is a research associate at the Institute for Nursing Science and Practice at Paracelsus Medical University (PMU) in Salzburg. His research focuses on family caregiving for people with dementia, with a particular emphasis on the experience of stress and the limitations of caregiving in rural areas. He is also involved in projects on fall prevention and the use of telecare technologies in outpatient and inpatient care. With his phenomenological approach, he makes a significant contribution to a better understanding of the subjective experience of care phenomena.
Prof Dr Heidrun Gattinger
Prof. Dr. Heidrun Gattinger is a nursing and health scientist and director of the Institute of Health Sciences at OST – University of Applied Sciences of Eastern Switzerland.
Her research focuses on geriatric care, with a particular emphasis on supporting self-management and health promotion among people with chronic conditions. In addition, she works on health promotion for nursing professionals and family caregivers, the promotion of physical activity in care settings (including kinaesthetics), as well as evaluation and implementation research aimed at improving the quality of care and health outcomes in both home-based and inpatient long-term care.
Prof Dr Monica Bianchi
Prof. Dr. Monica Bianchi is a full professor of interprofessionality and director of the Master’s program in Nursing Science (MScN) at SUPSI (University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland). With a PhD in Nursing Science and an EMBA, she combines clinical expertise—particularly in oncology—with skills in leadership and management. Her research focuses on interprofessional collaboration, patient safety, and the complexity of outpatient care. As an expert in Advanced Nursing Practice and a member of various professional committees, she plays a key role in shaping the advancement of nursing quality and academic education in Italian-speaking Switzerland.
Assistant Professor Anna-Barbara Schlüer, Ph.D.
Dr. Anna-Barbara Schlüer is a renowned nursing scientist with many years of experience in pediatric nursing and nursing research. She earned her Ph.D. from Maastricht University in 2013. Since September 2022, she has been working in an Advanced Nursing Practice (ANP) role in the field of community-based psychiatric nursing.
Her professional focus is on a well-established systemic understanding of the care provided to children, adolescents, and families, as well as the context in which that care is delivered. She also holds an eMBA from the University of Zurich (UZH) with a focus on digital transformation. In this context, she is particularly dedicated to the topic of open innovation in the Swiss healthcare system.
Through her work as a researcher, lecturer, and clinical expert, she has had a lasting impact on evidence-based pediatric nursing practice and advocates for innovative, quality-oriented care models in the healthcare sector.
Dr Beatrice Gehri
Dr. Beatrice Gehri is a renowned nursing scientist with extensive expertise in psychiatric care and health services research. She earned her Ph.D. in 2023 from the Institute of Nursing Science (INS) at the University of Basel. She is currently working there as a postdoctoral researcher and as a nursing scientist at the University Psychiatric Clinics (UPK) in Basel as part of an academic-clinical partnership.
Her research focuses on the work environment of nurses, staffing levels, and patient safety in psychiatry. Through projects such as “MatchRN Psychiatry,” she is dedicated to the evidence-based development of clinical structures. She is also committed to fostering a sustainable culture of safety and improving care-sensitive patient outcomes.
Through the close integration of research and clinical practice, it plays a key role in advancing the professionalization of psychiatric nursing. It actively promotes innovative care models to sustainably strengthen the quality of care and care structures within the Swiss healthcare system.
Prof Dr Manuela Eicher
Prof. Dr. Manuela Eicher is a full professor in the Faculty of Biology and Medicine at the University of Lausanne. There, she heads the University Institute for Education, Continuing Education, and Nursing Research (IUFRS) and also serves as a consulting nursing researcher at the Geneva University Hospitals (HUG) and IMAD. Her research focuses on the development of innovative care models that integrate advanced practice nurses, as well as on oncology and self-care. She specializes in promoting the next generation of academic nursing professionals and is actively involved at the national level, including as president of Oncology Nursing Switzerland and on the board of directors of the Swiss Medical Association (SAMW). Through her expertise in nursing leadership, she makes a significant contribution to the scientific foundation and professionalization of clinical nursing practice.
Prof Dr Sabine Hahn
Prof. Dr. Sabine Hahn heads the Department of Nursing and the Division of Applied Research & Development in Nursing at the Bern University of Applied Sciences (BFH). Her research focuses on practice development, psychiatric nursing, and the quality of care in acute care settings. She is deeply committed to the professionalization of the nursing profession and the implementation of evidence-based care models. As a distinguished researcher, she plays a key role in shaping the future of nursing research in Switzerland and serves on numerous national and international expert committees dedicated to sustainably improving the quality of nursing care.
Prof Dr Heidrun Gattinger
Director of the Institute of Health Sciences at OST – University of Applied Sciences of Eastern Switzerland.
Her research focuses on geriatric care, with a particular emphasis on supporting self-management and health promotion among people with chronic conditions. In addition, she works on health promotion for nursing professionals and family caregivers, the promotion of physical activity in care settings (including kinaesthetics), as well as evaluation and implementation research aimed at improving the quality of care and health outcomes in both home-based and inpatient long-term care.
Dr Angela Schnelli
Dr. Angela Schnelli is the Director of Education and Quality at Spitex Switzerland and is deeply committed to advancing the professionalization of home-based care. After earning her doctorate in nursing science, she now focuses on ensuring quality standards and further developing training concepts in home care. Her primary areas of focus are the implementation of Advanced Nursing Practice (ANP) and the promotion of interprofessional collaboration. Through her strategic work, she makes a significant contribution to strengthening the quality and efficiency of nursing care in the home setting throughout Switzerland.
Martin Diethelm
Martin Diethelm is a member of the administrative office of the VfP-APSI (Association for Nursing Science) and serves as the primary point of contact there. Together with the other team members, he is responsible for the operational implementation in the core areas of communication, logistics, and finance. He forms the organizational backbone of the association and ensures the smooth running of the office. He is supported by his team in efficiently implementing the conference objectives and ensuring professional support for participants and partners.
Become a partner of the 2027 VfP-APSI Science Congress!
On January 28, 2027, the Swiss Association for Nursing Science (VfP / APSI) will host an international science conference at the Hotel Bern. The event will bring together leading experts in nursing science, early-career researchers, and decision-makers from hospitals, universities, and healthcare facilities.
As a sponsor or partner, take advantage of this unique platform to raise your profile within a highly qualified professional community and actively contribute to the advancement of nursing in Switzerland. On-site, you’ll meet a first-class target audience consisting of nursing professionals (BSc, MSc, PhD), researchers, faculty members, and executives from various healthcare institutions.
We offer you attractive opportunities to ensure your optimal visibility:
Our Sponsorship Packages
Premium-Partner — CHF 4'500.–
Benefit from maximum visibility throughout the conference, direct access to experts and leaders, and position yourself as a strategic partner in nursing science.
- Exhibition booth in a prime location, including electricity and Wi-Fi.
- A brief company or product presentation (max. 5 min.) to the full assembly, incorporated into the official conference program.
- Prominent logo placement on the conference website, in newsletters, on all conference materials, and on the welcome slides.
- 4 free conference badges.
- Mention in the thank-you email sent to all participants after the conference.
Bonus-Partner — CHF 2'500.–
Reach a targeted audience of highly qualified professionals with a manageable investment of resources.
- Exhibition booth, including basic equipment.
- Logo on the conference website and in the printed program.
- Inclusion of a flyer or promotional material in the conference folder.
- 2 free conference badges.
Exhibitor Booth — CHF 800.–
The ideal solution for organizations that want to have their own booth without purchasing a comprehensive partner package.
- Exhibition booth, including basic equipment.
- 1 free conference badge.
Limited-Edition Special Sponsorships
Enhance your presence with our exclusive add-on offers to create a friendly and targeted brand presence. (Please note: All special sponsorship opportunities are limited and will be considered on a first-come, first-served basis.)
- Reception Sponsorship (CHF 1,500): You will host the networking reception, including a mention by name.
- Sponsorship for Young Talent (CHF 800.–): Support for mentoring sessions or awards for master’s theses.
- Lanyards (CHF 600.–): Your exclusive logo on all conference lanyards.
- Digital Ad Spot (CHF 400.–): Your short ad on the screens during commercial breaks.
Have we piqued your interest?
We sincerely thank you for your support. To book your desired package or if you have any questions, contact Feel free to contact us directly
