Pre-conference session
PhD Lab - Developing your research proposal and publishing strategy
The PhD Lab is an intensive, interactive workshop designed for doctoral students who wish to strengthen their research design and publication strategies. Participants will have the opportunity to present and discuss their PhD proposals in a constructive, peer-supported environment and receive feedback from both fellow doctoral candidates and senior faculty members.
Combining peer feedback, faculty mentoring, and dialogue with healthcare management practitioners, the Lab provides a unique opportunity to bridge academic research and real-world practice.
The Lab aims to:
- Provide an arena for peer learning and network building.
- Foster critical discussion and methodological refinement of PhD projects.
- Offer individualised feedback from academic mentors and faculty.
- Raise strategic awareness about the publication process, from journal selection to reviewer engagement.
Target group
Doctoral students (any year) working on topics related to health management, human resources, public policy, or health systems.
Expected outcomes
By the end of the PhD Lab, participants will:
- Have refined their research design and theoretical framing.
- Have received actionable feedback from peers and senior scholars.
- Understand the publication process in top-tier academic journals.
- Have built an international network of doctoral peers and mentors.
- Have built connections with faculty mentors, peers, and healthcare organisations.
Fees
- The fee for participating in the PhD Lab is €395 (+VAT).
- A combined package – including the PhD Lab and a ticket to the European Health Management Conference 2026 – is available for €645 (+VAT).
Registration
Applicants are required to submit a brief motivation letter (maximum 1 page) and a short PhD proposal (maximum 5 pages).
Please note that participation is limited to 20 PhD students.
Interested candidates can apply here by 27 February 2026 at 17.00 CET.
The outcome of the selection process will be communicated by 13 March 2026.
Accepted applicants are asked to complete their registration – including payment of the corresponding fee – by 27 March 2026 at 17.00 CET. Any request for an extension to this timeline must be submitted and agreed upon in writing at conference@ehma.org
Registration fees are non-refundable. No-shows will not receive a refund. Refund requests related to serious illness, accident, or family bereavement may be considered upon submission of appropriate supporting documentation.
Programme overview
09:30 – 10:00 | Welcome and introduction |
10:00 – 11:00 | Ice-breaker ‘My research in 3 minutes’ |
11.00 – 11:30 | Networking coffee |
11:30 – 13:00 | Session 1 – Setting the stage: peer networking and expectations |
13:00 – 14:00 | Networking lunch |
14:00 – 17:30 | Session 2 – PhD Proposal Presentations (Round 1) |
20.00-22.00 | Networking tapas dinner |
09:30 – 12:30 | Session 3 – PhD Proposal Presentations (Round 2) |
12:30 – 14:00 | Working lunch and final Q&A and feedback |
14:00 – 16:00 | Session 4 – Workshop ‘From proposal to publication’ |
16.00 – 16:30 | Networking coffee |
16:30 – 18:00 | Session 5 – Panel discussion ‘Future challenges in healthcare management’ |
18:00 – 18:30 | Closing session |
Faculty
Prof Federica Morandi, Professor, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore; Director of Academic Programs, ALTEMS – Graduate School of Health Economics and Management, Italy
Prof. Federica Morandi is Professor of Management at the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Faculty of Economics, Department of Management Studies. She is Programme Chair of the Bachelor’s degree in Economics and Service Management and obtained her PhD in the Economics and Management of Healthcare Organisations at the same university.
Since 2020, she has served as Director of Academic Programmes at ALTEMS, the Graduate School of Economics and Management of Healthcare Systems, where she also coordinates the research activities of the Patient Advocacy Associations Lab and the Clinical Trial Management Lab. Her research focuses on organisational models in healthcare and the healthcare workforce.
Prof Morandi has authored more than 30 peer-reviewed scientific articles and around 10 book chapters and is the author of the monograph Managerial Solutions to Hospital Challenges (Nova Science Publishers, 2016). She is co-editor of a book series on healthcare management and Associate Editor of Health Services Management Research. She has received research awards from the Academy of Management and ASSIOA and regularly presents her work at national and international conferences.
Prof Federico Lega, Full Professor of Healthcare Management, Università degli Studi di Milano, Italy
Prof Federico Lega is Full Professor of Healthcare Management at the Università degli Studi di Milano, Department of Biomedical Sciences for Health, where he teaches healthcare management and policy and leads the Research Centre in Health Administration (HEAD). He holds a PhD in Business Administration and Management and has longstanding experience in academic leadership and executive education in the field of health management.
Previously, Prof Lega served as Professor at SDA Bocconi School of Management, where he led research on strategy and organisational development in healthcare at the Bocconi Research Centre on Health Policy and Management (CERGAS) and headed executive education programmes for health managers, clinicians and industry leaders. He has also held visiting and adjunct positions at international universities.
Since 2015, Prof Lega has been Editor-in-Chief of Health Services Management Research and serves as Associate Editor of BMC Health Services Research and Medical Care Research and Review. He has published extensively, with more than 150 articles in peer-reviewed journals and several books. Alongside his academic work, he advises health systems, hospitals and public institutions at national and international level, contributes to policy and governance initiatives, and collaborates with international organisations, including the World Health Organization.
Dr Roberta Laurita, Research Fellow, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore; Researcher and Programme Coordinator, ALTEMS – Graduate School of Health Economics and Management, Italy
Dr Roberta Laurita is a Research Fellow at the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Faculty of Economics, Department of Management Studies. She obtained her PhD in Management and Innovation from Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Milan in 2023 and was a visiting PhD student at the School for Business and Society, University of York (UK).
Since 2018, she has been a Researcher at ALTEMS, the Graduate School of Economics and Management of Healthcare Systems, where she also coordinates a Master’s programme in Market Access, working in close collaboration with industry and key institutional stakeholders. She received an ASSIOA award for her PhD thesis.
Her research interests lie in organisation studies, with a focus on micro- and macro-level dynamics in healthcare, including multidisciplinary teams and intra- and inter-organisational relations, such as networks. Her work has examined boundary-spanning practices among healthcare professionals and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on teamworking, also incorporating patients’ perspectives through collaboration with patient associations. Dr Laurita is a member of EURAM, EGOS and the Academy of Management, regularly presents her research at national and international conferences, and coordinates the Scientific Secretariat of the Health Policy Forum in Italy.
Ms Sofia Di Pippo, PhD Candidate, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore; Researcher, ALTEMS – Graduate School of Health Economics and Management, Italy
Ms Sofia Di Pippo is a PhD Candidate in Health Systems and Service Research at the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Rome and has been a visiting PhD student at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (USA). Her research is grounded in organisation studies, with a particular focus on the competencies and professional roles of healthcare workers.
Her doctoral research has examined the organisational dynamics of telemedicine service delivery in paediatric settings, analysing their implications for patients, healthcare professionals and healthcare organisations. Since 2022, she has been working as a Researcher at ALTEMS on projects related to healthcare management, and since 2023 she has been involved in the SCHOLA Lab, which focuses on developing managerial and leadership capabilities within the health sector.
Ms Di Pippo is a member of EGOS and the Academy of Management (HRM and OB divisions) and regularly presents her research at national and international conferences. She is also involved in teaching activities in Human Resources Management and Business Organisation.
This initiative has received scientific endorsement from ALTEMS, the Graduate School of Economics and Management of Healthcare Systems, Universitá Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Italy.