PURPOSE:
The European University Hospital Alliance (EUHA) is a strategic collaboration of leading university hospitals across Europe. Its mission is to promote excellence and innovation in patient care, research, and education, while strengthening the role of academic medicine in resilient, sustainable health systems. Midwifery is recognized as a key field of academic healthcare, with high potential for structured international collaboration. Until now, however, there has been no Midwifery Network for targeted professional exchange at European level. This poster introduces the founding of the EUHA Midwifery Network, presenting its Mission Statement and the thematic focus areas defined by its working groups. The initiative seeks to connect midwifery professionals across EUHA member institutions to advance leadership, education, and innovation in European midwifery.

DISCUSSION:
The network’s development builds on a structured consultation process involving representatives from EUHA member hospitals. At the inaugural meeting, strategic goals, priority topics, and formats for long-term collaboration were discussed. The final Mission Statement of the EUHA Midwifery Network highlights the important role of midwives in promoting high-quality maternity care. It outlines the working groups’ thematic focus areas, including woman-centred maternity care, midwifery leadership, exchange programmes for students and staff, and cross-national cooperation in education, research, and practice development. The establishment of the network marks a significant step toward strengthening midwifery within European university hospitals through structured collaboration, shared expertise, and a unified strategic vision.

EVIDENCE WHERE RELEVANT:
Cross-national exchange platforms are essential to advance midwifery further as both an academic and clinical discipline. They enable shared learning, support evidence-based practice, and strengthen the role of midwives in policy-making. Moreover, structured collaboration enhances comparability in education and care standards, which is key for improving maternity care across diverse health systems.

KEY MESSAGE:
A strong European midwifery network supports excellence in care, education, and policy – and ensures the voice of midwives is heard. Poster session 3 (Group B)