Host institutions

Host institution: Assuta hospital – Tel Aviv, Israel

  • Director: Prof. Amir Szold
  • Short description: A busy private practice in a large private hospital. High volume elective surgery and use of advanced technologies.

Host institution: Chirurgia Generale Seconda, Policlinico San Matteo – Pavia, Italy

  • Director: Prof. Andrea Pietrabissa

Host institution: Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico – Milan, Italy

  • Director: Prof. Luigi Boni
  • Short description: Largest academic hospital and research centre in Milan. We perform the full spectrum of abdominal surgeries (main minimally invasive) from cancer to IBD and benign diseases. We operate every day from 9am till 7.30pm.

Host institution: Hospital Clinic – Barcelona, Spain


Host institution: Hospital Santpau – Barcelona, Spain

  • Director: Prof. Eduardo Targarona

Host institution: IRCAD-IHU University of Strasbourg – Strasbourg, France

  • Director: Prof. Silvana Perretta
  • Short description: The IRCAD is considered one of the leading surgical education providers in the world. More than 6,000 surgeons come every year to attend educational courses under the supervision of world-renowned experts. With a unique combination of theoretical sessions, live broadcasted procedures, hands-on practice on live tissue or anatomical specimens, and the latest generation of robots, there is no better way to learn.

Host institution: Kepler University Klinik – Linz, Austria

  • Director: Prof. Andreas Shamiyeh
  • Short description: The Kepler University Clinic was founded on 31.12.2015 with the merger of the three renowned and tradition-rich hospitals General Hospital of the City of Linz, Provincial Women’s and Children’s Hospital Linz and State Neurological Hospital Wagner-Jauregg. The reason for the merger was the founding of a medical faculty at Johannes Kepler University Linz. With more than 1,800 beds, the Kepler University Hospital is Austria’s second largest hospital and the central healthcare provider in Upper Austria.

Host institution: Liv Hospital, Ankara/Istinye University – Ankara, Turkey

  • Director: Prof. Mahir Ozmen

Host institution: Ponderas Academic Hospital – Bucharest, Romania

  • Director: Prof. Catalin Copaescu
  • Short description: Ponderas Academic Hospital is placed in the North part of Bucharest (the capital of Romania), 15’ from the main airport (Otopeni, Henri Coanda Airport).
    There are 250 hospital beds, accommodating General Surgery, Gastroenterology, Urology, Orthopedics, Neurosurgery, and some other departments.
    Ponderas Academic Hospital focuses on minimal invasive surgery (laparoscopic or robotic), hosting centers with significant expertise in bariatric, colorectal, hernia surgery.
    The bariatric & metabolic surgery program includes 80-90 new patients who are monthly operated, [more than 1000 obese patients per year].
    Having a high case load and very good results, the Ponderas Hospital was designated as Center of Excellence in Bariatric Surgery by IFSO-EC (in 2011,2014, 2017) and International Center of Excellence for Bariatric Surgery by Surgical Review Corporation, (in 2014, 2017).
    Meanwhile, the hospital hosts a training center ( Surgical Training Institute) where, 14-16 courses dedicated to video-assisted techniques are yearly organized (www.surgicaltraininginstitute.com). The training activity is Endorsed by EAES.

Host institution: Radboud UMC – Nijmegen, The Netherlands

  • Director: Prof. Camiel Rosman
  • Short description: Radboud university medical center is a leading academic centre with expertise in medical science and healthcare. Expertise plays an essential part in our organisation and connects research, education and patient care. Around 10,000 staff and 3,000 students are committed and ambitious, helping to shape the future of healthcare and medical science.

Host institution: University Hospital Virgen Macarena – Sevilla, Spain

  • Director: Prof. Salvador Morales-Conde
  • Short description: Get to know the Virgen Macarena University Hospital.
    In its 45-year history, it has managed to promote and continue advancing in research, development and innovation as a cornerstone of growth to offer an optimal range of tools in the search for the best health results. Teaching, research and assistance, hand in hand with Citizen Participation, continue to be the flag that flies over the building, and its professionals, many of them with a track record of excellence, are aware that citizenship is the goal.

Host institution: University of Torino – Turin, Italy

  • Director: Prof. Mario Morino
  • Short description: Surgical Unit dedicated to Digestive Surgery with a special focus on colorectal, bariatric and functional upper GI surgery. Prof Morino and his team were among the pioneer of laparoscopic and minimal invasive surgery since 1990 both clinically with over 15 thousand laparoscopic procedures performed and scientifically with over 250 papers published. Surgery is performed daily on 3 operating theatres including Da Vinci Xi and Flexrobotic-Medrobotic. Flexible endoscopy is performed in a dedicated Unit run by surgeon performing diagnostic and operative procedures on a daily basis. There is a training Center allowing hands on TEO-TEM, laparoscopic and Flexrobotic.

Host institution: VU Medical Centre – Amsterdam, The Netherlands

  • Director: Prof. Jaap Bonjer
  • Short description: The VU University Medical Center has a general practice serving the local community. As part of the teaching hospital, it provides training and experience to medical students and conducts scientific research.

Host institution: Westchester Medica Center, New York Medical College

  • Director: Prof. Roberto Bergamaschi

Upcoming Events