The Neurosurgical Community comes together in Hamburg!
Day 1 of the EANS 2026 Congress opened with a dynamic programme combining scientific exchange, practical education, and international collaboration. With research and educational sessions taking place in parallel, delegates had the opportunity to explore current developments in neurosurgery and exchange insights with colleagues from around the world.
This year, the Research Course was integrated into the opening day of the EANS Congress programme, attracting a large audience and bringing together a strong group of speakers. The course focused on the essential steps in developing robust research projects, from formulating clear research questions and selecting appropriate study designs to translating initial ideas into high-quality studies. Alongside this, the Peripheral Nerve Surgery courses and the Crash Course in Trauma Neurosurgery and Neurocritical Care provided focused, practice-oriented teaching. Through case-based discussions, participants explored challenging clinical scenarios and gained valuable insights applicable across different areas of neurosurgical practice.
The morning programme reflected the diversity of topics and perspectives explored throughout the congress, featuring the EANS Global Alliance in Neurosurgery Symposium, Intraoperative Ultrasound Symposium I, the EANS–EANO Tumour Section Pre-Congress Symposium, the SeENS Symposium, and the EANS–ESMINT session, “The Best of Both Worlds.” The programme also highlighted the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration through the EANS–ISIN Symposium on neuromonitoring and posterior fossa surgery, the Joint EANS/ESPN Symposium on endoscopy in paediatric neurosurgery, and the Joint EANS–CSRS session on the cranio-cervical junction.
International cooperation was another key theme of the Global Alliance in Neurosurgery session. In his presentation, Luis Borba highlighted the challenge of retaining neurosurgeons who pursue training abroad, noting that many remain overseas rather than returning to their home countries in Africa. The discussion also explored questions of diversity, including the possibility that women may be more likely than men to return to their countries of origin. These reflections highlighted the importance of looking beyond access to training and considering the professional and broader circumstances that influence where specialists establish their careers.
The Presidential Symposium, “Breaking Barriers,” brought together presentations examining challenges and emerging directions in neurosurgery. Francesco DiMeco, a neurosurgeon at Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta in Milan, Italy, discussed challenges in delivering therapies to the brain, including the skull’s role as an acoustic barrier and the therapeutic opportunities created by blood–brain barrier opening. Dr Marius Mader, a neurosurgery resident and research group leader at University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, explored microglial replacement as a potential avenue for neurotherapeutics and considered its prospects for future clinical applications. Together, these presentations offered complementary perspectives on advances in therapeutic delivery and emerging biological approaches.
The afternoon continued with a varied programme of specialist education and collaboration. Sessions covered neuromonitoring and posterior fossa surgery, transorbital approaches, trauma and neurocritical care outcomes, CSF diversion therapies, peripheral nerve entrapment, and uniportal and biportal endoscopic spine surgery. Further discussions addressed SIH, IIH, Chiari and syrinx, spinal tumour management and the activities of the EANS Skull Base Section. The EANS Annual General Assembly also provided an opportunity for members to come together. Throughout the day, scientific research, clinical practice, and technical developments were discussed alongside the broader work of neurosurgical teams and professional societies.
The session “AI, Paper Mills and Honest Science – Editors and Publishers’ View,” chaired by Tiit Mathiesen and Mario Ganau of the EANS Ethico-Legal Committee, explored the role of AI in the preparation and assessment of scientific papers through a series of talks from experts and representatives of publishing groups. Particularly valuable was the use of anonymised real-life examples, addressing the identification of paper mills, the recognition of AI hallucinations and image manipulation, and responses to investigations and retractions. The session also provided practical advice and introduced available frameworks for assessing research integrity, offering valuable guidance to the neurosurgical community on strengthening approaches to the generation and evaluation of scientific knowledge.
The day concluded with the Opening Ceremony and Welcome Reception, bringing delegates together to mark the official opening of the congress. Following a full day of scientific exchange, practical learning, and collaboration, the congress programme in Hamburg promises further opportunities for knowledge sharing and professional engagement.
EANS2026 General Assembly: A year of progress, a future ahead!
The EANS2026 General Assembly once again highlighted the important role of the National Member Societies in the EANS community and their active contribution to shaping the future of the Association and European neurosurgery.
In his Presidential Report, EANS President Francesco Sala reflected on the past year through the guiding principles of his “I CARE” motto (Inclusivity, Consolidation, Alliance, Research and Education). The report highlighted the achievements and developments across these five pillars, reflecting EANS’ continued efforts to strengthen its community, expand collaboration and advance neurosurgical education and research.
The Individual Membership Report further highlighted the continued growth and engagement of the wider EANS community, reflecting the important role of its members in the life and development of the Association.
EANS also welcomed the Luxembourg Society of Neurosurgery & Spine Surgery as a new National Member Society.
Prof. Wilco Peul, Chief Editor of Brain & Spine, shared an update on the journal’s continued growth. Brain & Spine has achieved a new Impact Factor of 2.7, up from 2.5, and a CiteScore of 2.9, up from 2.1. This achievement is particularly significant for a young journal, having reached this milestone in just five years.
Another highlight of the Assembly was the presentation of the shortlisted candidate cities for the EANS2031 and EANS2032 Congresses: Helsinki, Prague and Stockholm. Following the presentations and voting, the host cities were announced, with Stockholm selected to host the EANS2031 Congress and Finland selected to host the EANS2032 Congress. Congratulations are in order!
EANS Research Course 2026: Supporting the next generation of neurosurgical researchers
The newly restructured EANS Research Course 2026 brought together 40 participants and 12 faculty members, clinicians, scientists, residents and fellows for an intensive day focused on the skills needed to develop, conduct and communicate high-quality research.
Held as a pre-congress course ahead of the EANS Annual Congress, the programme followed the research journey from clinical idea to publication, combining expert-led sessions with practical, interactive learning.
The morning explored the fundamentals of research design and funding, covering topics including multicentre trials, randomised trials in neurosurgery, research ethics, methodological rigour, the publication process and securing research funding. Participants then put these principles into practice during a workshop on formulating a research question and setting up a study, followed by presentations and direct feedback from the faculty.
The afternoon turned to research frontiers across neurosurgery, with sessions covering spine, vascular and epidemiological research, translational neuro-oncology, surgical innovation, cancer neuroscience and traumatic brain injury. An interactive panel on “The Future of Neurosurgical Research” brought the course to a close, encouraging discussion on the evolving research landscape.
The Research Course Director, Katrin Rabiei, together with an international faculty of leading researchers from across Europe and the United States, guided participants throughout the day.
Accredited by the EACCME®, the course awarded 6.0 European CME credits (ECMEC®s). More than a course, the EANS Research Course provided a platform for learning, exchanging ideas and building connections.
EANS2026 Opening Ceremony A warm welcome to Hamburg
A memorable start to EANS2026!
The EANS2026 Opening Ceremony officially opened this year’s Congress in Hamburg, bringing together music, inspiring stories, and a warm welcome to the EANS community.
The evening began with a performance by the Shanty Choir, setting the tone for a ceremony that celebrated both the city of Hamburg and the international neurosurgical community. A video introducing Hamburg was followed by welcome addresses from Congress Presidents Manfred Westphal and Veit Rohde, who officially welcomed participants to EANS2026.
The ceremony then continued with a keynote speech by explorer and adventurer Arved Fuchs, “In Shackleton’s Wake”. His story and reflections offered an inspiring perspective on endurance, resilience and responsibility, themes that are at the heart of this year’s Congress.
Music remained an important part of the evening, with a piano performance by Böttger Bendix, before EANS President Francesco Sala welcomed participants to EANS2026. He was followed by EANS Scientific Liaison Michaël Bruneau and Prof. Hidenori Endo, Representative of the Japan Neurosurgical Society.
The ceremony also provided an opportunity to recognize outstanding contributions to European neurosurgery. Concezio Di Rocco and Maurice Choux received the Exceptional Service to European Neurosurgery Award, while Andreas Raabe was presented with the EANS Lifetime Achievement Award, recognizing his contribution to the field and to neurosurgical education and practice.
The evening concluded with another performance by the Shanty Choir, before participants were invited to continue the celebrations at the Welcome Reception in the Exhibition Area.
A fitting start to five days of science, exchange and collaboration at EANS2026.
Your EANS Story Starts Here!
#IAmEANS Competition
Every EANS member has a story – share what inspired you to become an EANS member, how EANS has shaped your neurosurgical journey, and what being part of this community means to you. Your story could inspire fellow neurosurgeons and help others discover the opportunities and connections that come with being part of EANS.
Share your story on social media, use #IAmEANS &
win a One-Year EANS Individual Membership.
Best story wins!
Every EANS member has a story – share what inspired you to become an EANS member, how EANS has shaped your neurosurgical journey, and what being part of this community means to you. Your story could inspire fellow neurosurgeons and help others discover the opportunities and connections that come with being part of EANS.
Share your story on social media, use #IAmEANS &
win a One-Year EANS Individual Membership.
Best story wins!
We’re partnering with Memento Photo, an AI-powered platform that uses facial recognition to deliver your EANS2026 photos to you in real time! Scan the QR code you’ll find at the designated spots throughout the Congress and create your personalised photo profile.
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stay tuned for the rest of the Journey!
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