Our motivation and driving force
For over 200 years we have been providing world-class medical care and are committed to sustainability. We will retain our sustainable mindset in future and will remain true to our tradition of providing world-class medical care. Currently over 9,600 dedicated members of staff are responsible for offering the excellent quality we are renowned for, and we do all we can to help them balance their career and private life. Together we are committed to taking on responsibility and making advances for the future.
History and expertise spanning more than 200 years
We have been shaped by over 200 years of medical history, marked by major historical milestones along the way. Knowledge transfer at all levels drives our highly-qualified staff to give their best at all times. We rely on the latest medical research findings and cutting-edge technology for our diagnosis and therapy to allow us to reach our common goal each and every day: providing the best possible patient care.
History of UKER
Uniklinikum Erlangen was founded in 1815 as Clinicum Chirurgicum. It started out with just eight beds. Since then, UKER has developed into one of the top clinics in Germany, with a world-class reputation. Our tradition and our expertise gathered over the centuries are what drive us to keep evolving. Driven by passion, we have a clear goal in our sights: carrying out the many and varied tasks of a hospital providing world-class supramaximal medical care.
Read more about our 200 year anniversary and our history.
Historical medical milestones
In the history of medicine there have been many pioneering research success stories, without which we would have been unable to reach today’s medical standard. At Uniklinikum Erlangen, we are proud of our milestones:
- 1966: First successful kidney transplant in Bavaria (second in Germany)
- 1982: Birth of the first test-tube baby in Germany
- 2002: Vaccination against melanoma
- 2004: MEG-guided brain surgery for epilepsy
- 2007: Foundation of Oncological Center (now known as CCC Erlangen-EMN)
- 2009: Fastest CT in the world enters into operation
- 2012: Child survives longest period of time with artificial heart (877 days after heart transplant)
- 2012: da Vinci robot-assisted surgical system used for the first time
- 2014: Tissue engineering used for the first time for bone reconstruction
Research and teaching
UKER is characterized by a strong focus on research, where outstanding researchers carry out cutting-edge research on a daily basis. They lay the foundation for the unique treatment options we can offer our patients.
University medicine in Erlangen has five main research focus areas:
- Infection and Immunology Research
- Kidney and Vascular Research
- Neurosciences
- Tumor Research
- Medical Engineering
Students at UKER
We provide practical training for students studying for degrees in medicine, dentistry, molecular medicine, medical process management, logopedics and midwifery science at FAU.
Apprenticeships at UKER
As a training organization, we cooperate with various vocational schools to offer apprenticeships in 20 different professions.
Medical Valley EMN
We are part of the Northern Bavarian Medical Valley EMN – an internationally leading medical engineering cluster that stands for innovation and medical advances. Together with other partners from research, industry and politics, we generate solutions for challenges in the health care sector and are committed to ensuring the region retains its role as an international leader in high-tech medicine.
Award-winning quality
Providing services of an excellent quality is one of the main objectives of our university hospital. Quality is a decisive factor for success and is the goal that all our staff work towards every day in each of our areas, following the criteria set out in our quality policy. The quality of the services we offer does not go unnoticed, and we regularly receive awards for our work as a hospital, employer and training organization.
Our awards
We are always pleased to receive recognition of our excellent quality as a hospital, employer and training organization. The latest awards we have received are:
- DIE WELT: Germany's best employers 2024 – high employer attractiveness
- FOCUS MONEY: Highest fairness in the job 2024
- IHK: Training company 2024 – quality through vocational training
- FOCUS-MONEY: Germany's best training companies 2024
- FAZ: Modern employer 2024
- Newsweek: World's Best Hospitals 2024 – Place 108
- stern: Germany's Outstanding Employers in Nursing 2023/24 – very good
- DIE WELT: Germany's best employers 2023 – high employer attractiveness
- DIE WELT: Germany’s best training organizations 2023 – very attractive training organization
- FOCUS: Germany's best Jobs in hospitals 2023
- stern: Germany’s top 100 hospitals 2023 – ranked at number 11, the best hospital in Franconia
- FAZ: Germany's training champions 2023
- Great-Jobs.org: Germany’s best employers 2023 – outstanding
- €uro: Germany's most family-friendly employer – very high approval rating
- FOCUS: TOP national hospital 2023
Quality control
Certification and re-certification are very important to our clinics, independent departments, institutions, interdisciplinary centers, and administration. We regularly prove our quality in audits conducted by independent parties. Their feedback is the basis for our continued development. Our Quality Management department regularly conducts patient surveys, that demonstrate a high level of satisfaction with our services. All results of our external audits are communicated in press releases.
Open to suggestions
Our employees can make an active contribution to improving and ensuring the future viability of our university hospital and boosting the standard of quality we offer by submitting suggestions for improvement at any time. If the ideas are successful, we recognize the members of staff in our staff portal and they receive a bonus for their valuable contribution. And the proposals are of course implemented in our daily operations!
Optimization using CIRS
CIRS stands for Critical Incident Reporting System. This reporting and learning system allows our staff to report all near misses and events that could impact safety promptly, anonymously and without risk of reprisals, provided no damage was caused to patients or staff. Staff can also submit ideas for avoiding errors in future, therefore contributing to the optimization of structures and processes.
A sustainable approach for tomorrow
For us, sustainability is not a trend, it is our responsibility for the future. Energy efficiency and sustainability are central to our energy policy and applicable across our entire organization. Our aim is to lower energy consumption over the long term and raise awareness among our staff of the importance of saving energy. We take a sustainable approach, support regional suppliers and back projects in the health care sector aimed at protecting the environment.
We take a sustainable approach
Certification pursuant to DIN EN ISO 50001
Uniklinikum Erlangen has an energy management system certified according to DIN EN ISO 50001 and an excellent measuring system that centrally evaluates energy data from all buildings, analyzes any fluctuations and monitors interruptions in energy supply.
Own energy production
A highly efficient cogneration unit provides the central buildings of Uniklinikum Erlangen with heating and electricity. This is supplemented by three large photovoltaic systems and several smaller solar and geothermal systems. This allows us to produce approximately 12% of our energy ourselves.
E-mobility
Electrical trolleys transport meals, textiles and other materials in the supply tunnels underneath the hospital. Our post is delivered with an electric vehicle. Each year, a distance of 10,000 km is covered. Since 2021, we have also transported meals using two low-emission trucks in accordance with the Euro VI D standard.
Green roofs improving the climate in the city
In order to create high-quality habitats for flora and fauna, all buildings belonging to Uniklinikum Erlangen at Ulmenweg and the building housing the wards of the Surgical Center have a green roof.
Regional is our first choice
Uniklinikum Erlangen works in partnership with a wide variety of suppliers and specialist workers from the region. Our catering team also makes an effort to use regional supply chains and purchase high-quality local products as far as possible.
Saving the climate – saving lives
Uniklinikum Erlangen is actively taking part in the Klimaretter – Lebensretter campaign (saving the climate, saving lives). This is a project that has been developed especially for the health sector, and funded within the framework of the National Climate Protection Initiative.
We are proud of our diversity
Erlangen university medicine is outstanding. It attracts staff from all over the world who work in a very wide range of professions at Uniklinikum Erlangen. We are diverse in the best sense. Our diversity encourages a creative approach and ensures that our hospital remains flexible, open to change and fit for the future.
Our staff
Our more than 9,600 members of staff come from all across the globe and have very different religions and world views. They work together in more than 190 professions. Gender or sexual orientation makes no difference. The youngest members of staff are still completing their apprenticeship, the oldest are nearing, or in some cases already past, retirement age. We integrate our staff with disabilities and do our best to ensure an accessible environment wherever possible.
Equal opportunities
Equal opportunities are an important consideration at Uniklinikum Erlangen, which is why we consult with the Staff Council, the Disability Liaison Officer, Officers for equal opportunities for women in science and the arts and the Equal Opportunities Officer to ensure equal opportunities for all at the workplace. Flexible working times and specific support services allow our staff to adjust their work to suit their current circumstances.
Gender Equality Plan
Promoting gender equality is an important goal of Uniklinikum Erlangen and a major task for the future for everyone involved in university medicine. The Gender Equality Plan (GEP) sets out the objectives and measures in place at UKER to ensure and promote gender equality. It takes into consideration the equality and gender-related aspects defined as the minimum requirements research projects must meet if they are to be eligible for funding within the context of EU research under Horizon Europe.
Guidelines
Uniklinikum Erlangen disapproves of all forms of discrimination, harassment and sexual harassment and commits to protecting and enforcing the rights of those affected. We promote a culture based on treating others with respect, where each and every individual is valued and ignoring discrimination is not tolerated. Together with Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Uniklinikum Erlangen have passed Guidelines on preventing and dealing with cases of discrimination, harassment and sexual harassment.
Dedicated to the cause
As a university hospital, we are aware of our responsibility towards society and we consciously support this with voluntary and charity work. As well as our own aid projects and charity events, we provide the general public with information free of charge on health topics, current research and the latest options for treatment.
Forschungsstiftung Medizin Research Foundation
The Medical Research Foundation at Uniklinikum Erlangen (Forschungsstiftung Medizin) was founded in 2007, the tangible result of a great deal of hard work, motivation and dedication. The Foundation aims to promote
- academia and research
- public health care
- teaching and training and
- provide charitable health care services.
"Kinderherz-OP” campaign
Our efforts to allow people to lead a healthy, normal life are not only restricted to Germany. One example is the “Kinderherz OP” campaign initiated and supported by the Departments of Pediatric Cardiac Surgery and Pediatric Cardiology. Its aim is to treat children from abroad with severe heart problems in Uniklinikum Erlangen.
Lauf gegen Krebs
The Lauf gegen Krebs (Run Against Cancer) is the largest charity event in Franconia. As a partner of the charity Verein für Ernährungsmedizin, Bewegung & Sport bei Krebs e. V., we get out and exercise every year for a good cause. Jogging, Nordic walking or cycling - everyone can choose which type of exercise suits them best and join in to the best of their sporting ability. The run reminds us of the importance of exercise and nutrition for the prevention and treatment of cancer.
Citizens’ lectures
The citizens’ lecture series is run by the Medical Research Foundation at Uniklinikum Erlangen. Every Monday during the lecture period, public lectures are held at Uniklinikum Erlangen that offer all citizens interesting insights into important medical questions, issues and the latest scientific findings. The lectures are held by experts from Uniklinikum Erlangen and are free of charge.
Current information about the citizens’ lectures is available at Events at Uniklinikum Erlangen
Gesundheit erlangen
The regional health magazine Gesundheit erlangen is published by our communications department four times a year in Erlangen, the Erlangen-Höchstadt district, Forchheim and Bamberg. The free magazine provides interesting information on medicine, nutrition and health. As well as giving an interesting insight into cutting-edge medicine, the magazine also acts as a channel for many different people to have their say. Patients report back on their treatment at Uniklinikum Erlangen and our staff speak out about what is important to them and what motivates them on a daily basis.
Our latest issues are available online.
Work-life balance
We want to ensure that our staff can achieve a healthy balance of work and private commitments. Several of our organizational units therefore offer flexible working models and various different staffing plans. Working part-time, possibly for a fixed period of time, is also an option. Together with the support services available to those requiring childcare or involved in caring for relatives, we offer a wide range of other options aimed at helping staff balance the needs of their family and their career.
Flexible working times
Uniklinikum Erlangen offers a number of possibilities for adjusting your working time to suit your current circumstances. Various working time models are available across the hospital. If you choose to work flexitime, you can choose when to start and finish work as it suits you on any particular day, provided you are available during core times. Part-time working is the most popular choice when it comes to balancing family commitments and professional requirements.
Childcare
Together with the Family Service from FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg, Uniklinikum Erlangen offers a wide range of childcare services, including emergency care and childcare during school vacations.
Dependent relatives
If one of your relatives requires care, our occupational health advisors are available to provide advice and assistance. The Family Service at FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg can also provide advice and organize emergency care if necessary. Our human resources department is your first point of contact if you wish to take caregiver leave, take time off to care for a close relative or apply for special leave.
Your benefits at UKER
As one of the largest employers in Middle Franconia, we are at the cutting-edge of medicine thanks to our more than 9,600 highly qualified employees in a wide spectrum of different occupations. Our joint success hinges on appreciation of each other’s work and a good work-life balance.