An international lecture on “Healthcare system resilience in times of crisis: legal challenges and governance mechanisms” will take place at Kyiv Medical University.

Dear students of Kyiv Medical University,

We invite you to an international lecture as part of the KMU Voices project, focusing on the resilience of healthcare systems in times of crisis and the legal and governance mechanisms that help ensure their effective functioning.

What happens to a healthcare system when a country faces a crisis? How can hospitals, healthcare professionals, and essential medical services be protected and kept operational? And what role do law and governance play in times of emergency?

During the lecture, these issues will be explored by a leading European expert in public, European, and international law.

Date: August 14, 2026
Time: 10:40–12:10
Location: KMU Polish Campus, Zawiszy Czarnego Str., 5

Topic: “Health Security and the Protection of Healthcare Systems in Times of Crisis: Legal Challenges and Governance Responses”

Speaker: Prof. Dr. Claudia Seitz

Professor of Public Law, European Law, Public International Law and Life Sciences Law,

Faculty of Law of the Private University in the Principality of Liechtenstein (UFL),

Head of the Institute for European and International Law (IEIL).

Dr. Claudia Seitz’s research and teaching focus on European and international law, health and life sciences law, digital health and AI governance, and the regulation of emerging technologies. She is a member of the UN Global Initiative on AI for Health (GI-AI4H) and contributes as an expert to GI-AI4H working groups of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).

What will we discuss?

• health security – what it means and why it matters during crises;
• protection of healthcare systems and essential medical services;
• legal challenges faced by governments and healthcare institutions in times of crisis;
• the role of European and international law in protecting health and healthcare;
• governance responses to public health emergencies and other crises;
• the challenges faced by healthcare professionals and institutions when healthcare systems are under pressure;
• the importance of protecting patients, healthcare workers, medical infrastructure, and fundamental rights.

Language

The lecture and workshop will be delivered in English.

Preparation

To make the most of the lecture, participants are encouraged to review the recommended materials in advance. The materials are attached.

International Academic Cooperation

This lecture is made possible thanks to the cooperation agreement between Kyiv Medical University and the European Association of Health Law.

Kyiv Medical University is currently the only university in Ukraine that has signed such an agreement. Through this partnership, the KMU community — as well as the broader Ukrainian academic and healthcare community — gains access to leading international experts in medical law, ethics, and health policy. This cooperation also reflects the support of the European health law community for Ukraine, Ukrainian medical education, and the KMU academic community.

KMU Voices Initiative

The lecture is organized within the KMU Voices Project – an international educational initiative dedicated to bringing leading scholars, researchers, and practitioners from around the world to the Kyiv Medical University community. The project promotes academic excellence, interdisciplinary dialogue, international cooperation, and the exchange of knowledge and experience. Through KMU Voices, students and faculty have the opportunity to explore important contemporary issues in medicine, public health, healthcare governance, medical law, ethics, and biomedical sciences directly with international experts.

Join us and discover why protecting healthcare means protecting not only hospitals and medical professionals, but also the legal and governance systems that make healthcare possible.

KMU Voices – international expertise, new perspectives, one academic community!