Each year ASPHER awards the prestigious Andrija Štampar Medal to a distinguished person for excellence in the field of Public Health. The Medal is awarded annually during the ASPHER Deans' & Directors Retreat.
Congratulations to Professor Walter Ricciardi, ASPHER Andrija Štampar Medallist, 2026!
About Andrija Štampar
Doctor Andrija Štampar was born in the Croatian countryside in 1888. His parents were schoolteachers and moved around the country a lot. This gave him many opportunities to observe the daily life of the people. He graduated in medicine from Vienna in 1911. He worked as a muncipla doctor in Nova Gradiška and then as a health advisor to the Social Welfare Commission of the National Council in Zagreb.
In the 1920s, he worked in a senior position in the newly created Ministry of Health in Belgrade. Apparently at this time he was very outspoken about what needed to be done.
In the period 1927-28, he founded the School of Public Health in Zagreb, with a grant from the Rockefeller Foundation. From this base, he began to develop the public health system for the whole of Yugoslavia. As a result of these successful activities he was invited by the King to take up the cabinet post of Minister of the Interior. He accepted subject to certain conditions, which the King did not accept. Subsequently he went to China as an official of the League of Nations, and set up a fledgling public health system under its auspices.
He spent the period of the Second World War in prison, but in 1945 was appointed as Professor of Social Medicine in Zagreb. He also served as Dean of the Medical School and as President of the Academy of Arts and Sciences of Croatia. In 1946 he was president of the Interim Committee of WHO, charged with setting up its structures and constitution. It also drew up the famous definition of health. Professor Štampar was chairman of the first WHO General Assembly in 1948.
Throughout his life, Štampar was a strong advocate for widespread health education of people and for addressing the medical needs of young people.
Past Štampar Medallists
Prof. Dr. med. Reinhard Busse, MPH FFP | 2025 ASPHER Deans' & Directors' Retreat - Berlin, Germany
Štampar Medalist 2024 | Short biographical sketch
Natasha Azzopardi-Muscat | 2024 ASPHER Deans' & Directors' Retreat - Porto, Portugal
Štampar Medalist 2024 | Short biographical sketch
Laudation by Carlo Signorelli (Vita-Salute San Raffaele University)
Anders Foldspang | 2023 ASPHER Deans' & Directors' Retreat - Dublin, Ireland
Štampar Medalist 2023 | Short biographical sketch
Laudation by Charles Normand (Trinity College, Dublin)
Laurent Chambaud | 2022 ASPHER Deans' & Directors' Retreat - Sofia, Bulgaria
Štampar Medalist 2022 | Short biographical sketch
Laudation by Henrique Barros (ISPUP, University of Porto)
Mike Ryan | Online webinar ceremony
Štampar Medalist 2021 | Short biographical sketch
Laudation by Mary Codd (ASPHER Executive Board, University College Dublin)
Selma Šogoric | 16th World Congress on Public Health - Online 2020
Štampar Medalist 2020 | Short biographical sketch
Laudation by John Middleton (President, ASPHER)
Gaetano M. Fara | XLI Annual Conference / 12th EPH Conference - Marseille 2019
Štampar Medalist 2019 | Short biographical sketch
Laudation by John Middleton (President, ASPHER)
Anne Johnson | XL Annual Conference / 11th EPH Conference - Ljubljana 2018
Štampar Medalist 2018 | Short biographical sketch
Laudation by Kasia Czabanowska (Maastricht University)
Elina Hemminki | XXXIX Annual Conference / 10th EPH Conference - Stockholm 2017
Štampar Medalist 2017 | Short biographical sketch
Laudation by Henrique Barros (University of Porto)
Richard Horton | XXXVIII Annual Conference / 9th EPH Conference - Vienna 2016
Štampar Medalist 2016 | Short biographical sketch
Laudation by Martin McKee (London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine)
Jean Rochon | XXXVII Annual Conference / 8th EPH Conference - Milan 2015
Štampar Medalist 2015 | Short biographical sketch
Laudation by Laurent Chambaud (EHESP School of PublicHealth - Rennes)
Peter Piot | XXXVI Annual Conference / 7th EPH Conference - Glasgow 2014
Štampar Medalist 2014 | Short biographical sketch
Laudation by Yehuda Neumark (Hebrew University of Jerusalem)
Jose M Martin-Moreno | XXXV Annual Conference / 6th EPH Conference - Brussels 2013
Štampar Medalist 2013 | Short biographical sketch
Laudation by Miguel Angel Royo (Institute of Health Carlos III - Madrid) & Ted Tulchinsky (Hebrew University of Jerusalem)
Julio Frenk | XXXIV Annual Conference / 5th EPH Conference - Malta 2012
Štampar Medalist 2012 | Short biographical sketch
Laudation by Jeffrey Levett (National School of Public Health - Athens)
Zsuzsanna Jakab | XXXIII Annual Conference / 4th EPH Conference - Copenhagen 2011
Štampar Medalist 2011 | Short biographical sketch
Laudation by Roza Adany (University of Debrecen)
Elias Mossialos | XXXII Annual Conference / 3rd EPH Conference - Amsterdam 2010
Štampar Medalist 2010 | Short biographical sketch
Laudation by Helmut Brand (Maastricht University)
Gudjon Magnusson | XXXI Annual Conference / 2nd EPH Conference - Lodz 2009
Štampar Medalist 2009 | Short biographical sketch
Laudation by Stojgniew Jacek Sitko (Jagiellonian University - Krakow)
Ulrich Laaser & Theodore Tulchinsky | XXX Annual Conference / 1st EPH Conference - Lisbon 2008
Štampar Medalists 2008 | Short biographical sketch
Laudation by Anders Foldspang (Aarhus University)
David Byrne | XXIX Annual Conference - Valencia 2007
Štampar Medalist 2007 | Short biographical sketch
Laudation by Jose M Martin-Moreno (EVES School of Publi Health - Valencia)
Josep Figueras | XXVIII Annual Conference - Maastricht 2006
Štampar Medalist 2006 | Short biographical sketch
Laudation by Charles Normand (Lodnon School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine)
George Soros | XXVII Annual Conference - Yerevan 2005
Štampar Medalist 2005 | Short biographical sketch
Laudation by Aislinn O’Dwyer (University of Liverpool)
Theodor Abelin | XXVI Annual Conference - Caltanissetta 2004
Štampar Medalist 2004 | Short biographical sketch
Laudation by Stojgniew Jacek Sitko (Jaegiellonian University - Krakow)
Martin McKee | XXV Annual Conference - Granada 2003
Štampar Medalist 2003 | Short biographical sketch
Laudation by Stipe Oreskovic (University of Zagreb)
Alexander Macara | XXIV Annual Conference - Zagreb 2002
Štampar Medalist 2002 | Short biographical sketch
Laudation by Jeffrey Levett (National School of Public Health - Athens)
Ilona Kickbush | XXIII Annual Conference - Debrecen 2001
Štampar Medalist 2001 | Short biographical sketch
Laudation by Andreas Geiger (Hochschule Magdeburg-Stendal)
Charles Mérieux | XXII Annual Conference - Aarhus 2000
Štampar Medalist 2000 | Short biographical sketch
Laudation by Pascal Chevit (Nationa School of Public Health - Rennes)
Richard Doll | XXI Annual Conference - Madrid 1999
Štampar Medalist 1999 | Short biographical sketch
Laudation by Richard Madeley (University of Notingham)
Lennart Köhler | XX Annual Conference - Torino 1998
Štampar Medalist 1998 | Short biographical sketch
Laudation by Arja Rimpelä (University of Tampere)
Ferenc Bojan | XIX Annual Conference - Prague 1997
Štampar Medalist 1997 | Short biographical sketch
Laudation by Martin McKee (London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine)
Michel Manciaux | XVIII Annual Conference - Utrecht 1996
Štampar Medalist 1996 | Short biographical sketch
Laudation by Lennart Köhler (Nordic School of Public Health)
Halfdan J Mahler | XVII Annual Conference - London 1995
Štampar Medalist 1995 | Short biographical sketch
Laudation by Evelyne de Leeuw (University of Limburg - Maastricht)
Donald Acheson | XVI Annual Conference - Krakow 1994
Štampar Medalist 1994 | Short biographical sketch
Laudation by Jeffrey Levett (National School of Public Health - Athens)
Léo Kaprio | XV Annual Conference - Bielefeld 1993
Štampar Medalist 1993 | Short biographical sketch
Laudation by Jeffrey Levett (National School of Public Health - Athens)
Andrija Štampar Medallist 2026
Professor Walter Ricciardi
ASPHER Andrija Štampar Medallist, 2026
ASPHER is thrilled to announce the awarding of the 2026 Andrija Štampar Medal to Walter Ricciardi, Professor of Hygiene and Public Health at Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Rome.
Over four decades, Professor Ricciardi has shaped public health science, governance, and education at national, European, and global levels, consistently promoting the principles of evidence-based policy, international cooperation, and social medicine. He has devoted his career to translating scientific evidence into effective health policy and institutional reform and is widely recognised as one of Europe’s most influential public health leaders.
In Italy, Professor Ricciardi has built and led one of Europe’s most respected academic centres at Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome. He served as President of the Italian National Institute of Health (Istituto Superiore di Sanità) from 2014 to 2019 and has acted as advisor to several Italian Ministers of Health, contributing to major reforms in prevention, health system governance and public health strategy.
At the European level, he served two terms as President of the European Public Health Association (EUPHA), strengthening its scientific output, expanding its membership, and consolidating its role as the leading voice for public health in Europe. As a long-standing advisor to European institutions he has significantly contributed to shaping the European Union’s strategic approaches to health systems performance, disease prevention, and population health.
Globally, Professor Ricciardi served as President of the World Federation of Public Health Associations (2018–2020) and as a Member of the Executive Board of the World Health Organization, advancing international collaboration on health systems strengthening and global health security.
Professor Ricciardi’s scientific record is exceptional: he is the author of more than 700 peer reviewed publications and has held major editorial roles, including Section Editor of the European Journal of Public Health and Editor of the Oxford Handbook of Public Health Practice. His work has substantially advanced understanding of health system performance, disease burden, and determinants of population health across Europe.
Professor Ricciardi embodies the values championed by Andrija Štampar demonstrating a profound commitment to public health education, a lifelong dedication to strengthening health systems, and an unwavering belief in international cooperation as a cornerstone of population health. His transformative leadership within European and global public health institutions, his distinguished scientific achievements, and his enduring contribution to the development of future public health leaders make him an outstanding recipient of the Award.
The 2026 Andrija Štampar Medal will be conferred during the ASPHER 1st European Congress on Education and Training in Public Health, 15-18 July in Milan, Italy.