Three countries, one shared commitment: advancing academic clinical research. This year’s D|A|CH Symposium for Clinical Trials, held in Innsbruck on 29–30 September 2026, marked an important milestone: 10 years of collaboration between clinical research organisations in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

A strong Swiss delegation, including representatives from the SCTO Executive Office, members of the SCTO Clinical Research Centre (CRC) Network, and participants from other Swiss institutions, joined colleagues and partners from across the D|A|CH region at the 6th D|A|CH Symposium in Innsbruck, Austria.

A decade of cross-border collaboration
The D|A|CH Symposium was founded in Basel in 2015 with the aim of bringing together organisations involved in academic clinical research across Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Over the past decade, it has become an important platform for exchanging knowledge, sharing experiences and strengthening collaboration across national borders.

The SCTO has been part of the symposium’s programme committee since its inception. This year’s symposium was hosted by the KKS Netzwerk Österreich, with the Innsbruck organising committee playing a key role in bringing the event to life.

Two days of exchange, innovation and discussion
The symposium opened with a beautiful short film “Tirol from Above”, offering participants a glimpse of the region before moving into introductions from representatives of the three national networks: the KKSN (Netzwerk Koordinierungszentren für klinische Studien, Germany), the KKS Netzwerk Österreich (Kompetenz für klinische Forschung) and the SCTO.

Over two days, participants explored a wide range of topics shaping the future of clinical research. The programme featured presentations and discussions on patient and public Involvement (PPI), decentralised clinical trials, artificial intelligence in clinical research, sponsor oversight and many other current developments.

With more than 700 participants, the symposium provided a valuable opportunity to connect with colleagues from across the D|A|CH region, exchange perspectives and discuss common challenges and opportunities in academic clinical research.

View the full symposium programme

See you in Basel in 2028!
The symposium concluded with an exciting announcement: the 7th D|A|CH Symposium for Clinical Trials will take place in Basel in 2028, hosted by the SCTO and the Department of Clinical Research at the University of Basel.

After celebrating a decade of D|A|CH collaboration in Innsbruck, we are already looking forward to welcoming our colleagues from Germany and Austria to Switzerland for the next chapter.

A big thank you to the KKS Netzwerk Österreich, and especially the Innsbruck organising committee, for hosting us in beautiful Innsbruck and for making this year’s symposium such a memorable event.

We look forward to seeing you in Basel in 2028!