Shanghai Medical Innovation Development Foundation
Innovating in Health Systems: From Leadership to Innovation

The Shanghai Medical Innovation Development Foundation (SMIDF) is a non-profit organisation established in 2012 to advance collaborative medical science and technology innovation across China. The Foundation works to accelerate translational medicine, strengthen the development of research hospitals and clinical innovation, and develop a new generation of medical leaders equipped to drive systemic improvement. With a strong commitment to international collaboration, SMIDF plays a central role in promoting high-quality, efficient and patient-centred healthcare through leadership development and global learning partnerships.

At a time of growing system complexity, rapid advances in healthcare technology, and increasing demands on hospital leadership, SMIDF, together with the partners – Institute of Hospital Management of Tsinghua University and Shanghai Hospital Development Center, sought an international programme to support senior leaders in reflecting on how global best practice could inform improvement in their own institutions.

SMIDF and the partners commissioned the Møller Institute to design and deliver a focused two-day residential programme in Cambridge for 30 senior hospital administrators. The aim was to expose participants to selected UK and international approaches to hospital leadership, operational excellence, and innovation; strengthen their leadership capability; and provide opportunities for high-quality peer exchange.

The SMIDF and the partners sought a programme that balanced academic insight with real-world practice, bringing together experts from across the University of Cambridge, industry innovators and NHS leaders. Particular emphasis was placed on systems thinking, the adoption of emerging technologies, and the translation of international best practice into Chinese hospital contexts.

Working closely with the client, the Møller Institute designed a programme that integrated leadership development, organisational excellence and systems thinking with practical exposure to health innovation, AI and data-driven transformation.

Key design features included:

• A structured learning journey progressing from leadership and organisational capability to applied innovation and strategic action planning.
• Expert faculty from the University of Cambridge and UK healthcare innovation ecosystems, including specialists in leadership, clinical education, AI, and data science.
• Practical immersion through case studies, peer dialogue and a site visit to CMR Surgical to explore technology-enabled transformation.
• High levels of interaction, with facilitated group discussions and opportunities for peer exchange woven throughout the programme.
• Targeted learning objectives, including developing systemic thinking, strengthening leadership capability, and identifying transferable insights to enhance hospital performance.

The programme was carefully curated to ensure relevance for senior administrators leading large, complex medical institutions and to support adaptation of international practice to local Chinese contexts.

The two-day programme took place at the Møller Institute in Cambridge and combined presentations, facilitated discussions, case studies and experiential learning.

Day 1: Leadership and organisational excellence

Participants were welcomed to Cambridge by Dr Adrian Barbrook, Vice Master of Churchill College before beginning a day centred on leadership, team dynamics, and organisational change. Sessions explored leadership styles, building organisational capability, and the strategic role of AI and data in hospital improvement.

The day concluded with a keynote on the future of surgical innovation, sharing the Cambridge story behind CMR Surgical, followed by a networking dinner with Fellows of Churchill College and guest speaker Dr Jason Ali sharing first-hand perspectives on improving patient outcomes.

Day 2: Innovation, technology and applied learning

The second day focused on innovation in practice, including examination of NHS case studies and approaches to technology adoption. Participants then visited CMR Surgical for demonstrations, discussion with senior leaders and exposure to real-world innovation ecosystems.

The afternoon returned to Cambridge for sessions on systems thinking and engineering design for hospital improvement, culminating in a facilitated action-planning workshop and closing ceremony.

Across both days, participants engaged in structured peer exchange, contributing actively to discussions and drawing comparisons with their own institutions.

The programme was very well received, with an overall satisfaction score of 4.7/5 and consistently strong ratings across all sessions. Participants highlighted the value of:

• the combination of theory and practical NHS case studies,
• the expertise and professionalism of University of Cambridge faculty,
• opportunities for international exchange and peer learning, and
• exposure to innovation ecosystems through the site visit to CMR Surgical.
• seeing how innovation moves from research into real hospital settings

“Working with the Møller Institute team was a truly collaborative and rewarding experience, and highly impactful for our senior leaders. The programme brought global perspectives to life in a way that was immediately relevant to our context, combining deep expertise with practical insight. It has strengthened our confidence to lead innovation and drive meaningful change across our hospitals.”

The programme concluded by consolidating learning into practical actions, leaving participants with clear priorities and internationally informed perspectives to support improvement within their own healthcare systems.