Austrian Bock Preis Award
Dr. Suad Sheikh Mohamed
Dr. Suad Sheikh Mohamed, award winner of the Bock Preis in 2025, is an Austrian citizen originally from Somalia. She has lived in several countries, including Saudi Arabia, Syria, Pakistan, and Austria. Suad speaks six languages: German, Somali, Arabic, English, Hindi, and Urdu.
Suad holds a Doctor of Clinical Pharmacy degree from the University of Karachi. She currently works as a Social Medical Consultant, providing support that includes psychological counseling, at Diakonie Österreich, and serves as an Assistant Consultant at the Austrian Red Cross. Suad also serves as a Senior Advisor for Integration and Health at Pendl & Piswanger, working on the project “Qualified Skilled Workers from Third Countries,” focusing on the recruitment and integration of DGKP (Registered Nurses) and PFA (Nursing Assistants) from Kenya.
In addition to her clinical and consulting roles, Suad teaches the importance of intercultural communication in healthcare and community health within the public health sector at the Medical University of Vienna and other academic institutions.
Since 2023, she has worked as a researcher in the Public Health sector at the Medical University of Vienna, contributing to projects focused on reproductive health, with a particular emphasis on female genital mutilation (FGM) in Austria. Her work, conducted in collaboration with her senior research team, was published in 2024 and highlighted FGM in Austria.
Suad is a strong advocate for international health, with a special commitment to Sustainable Development Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-being). She is the Founder of the Global Health Club (formerly Somali Health Club), a platform that connects the global health community with healthcare professionals. It provides a space where individuals can ask questions about medical topics and access reliable health information in multiple languages. The initiative aims to make health knowledge more accessible, empower individuals to better understand and take charge of their own health, and combat misinformation in the health sector.
Austrian-Arab Women Physicians and Pharmacists Award
Youth Heroes’ Award
In 2025, the Global Health Club was one of the top three winners of the Austrian Bock Preis in recognition of its impactful contribution to public health awareness and community engagement. The Global Health Club currently has over 5.7K members.
In March 2023, Suad was awarded by the Austrian-Arab Women Physicians and Pharmacists Association on International Women’s Day in recognition of her dedication to medical and humanitarian aid. She was also among the winners of the 2021 Youth Heroes’ Awards presented by the International Association of Youth and Students for Peace (IAYSP).
Since March 2022, Suad has been a Member of the UNHCR Refugee Team Austria. Since 2021, she has been a Board Member of the Global Somali Diaspora (GSD), where she also serves on the Youth Committee. The organization advocates for the full integration of Somali Diaspora communities within their host countries while maintaining strong connections to their cultural heritage.
Suad is a sought-after panelist and presenter, known for her storytelling skills in a variety of areas. She has spoken at the United Nations on interreligious topics, contributed to a migration and health panel at European Forum Alpbach, and contributed to high-level events including at the Diplomatic Academy Vienna, the Ban Ki-moon Centre for Global Citizens and at an International Peace Day celebration hosted by the Second President of the Austrian Parliament.
She is committed to raising awareness about refugee and migration issues, improving healthcare and pharmaceutical systems in developing countries, and empowering youth and women. Suad often quotes Oprah Winfrey: “You become what you believe.”
Health conference in Türkiye
Examples of Dr. Suad Sheikh Mohamed’s Multimedia Work
Interview of Former United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon at European
Forum Alpbach in the context of a Sustainable Development Goal initiative
Interview of Pascal Lamy, Former Director General of the World Trade
Organization (WTO), at European Forum Alpbach
Participated in “The Experiment,” illustrating how solidarity, inclusion, and mutual respect are essential for resilient societies.
Interview with BBC Somalia in London about the Omicron virus and how it differs from the Delta variant within the pandemic context.
Intervention for COVINFORM – Sinus Institute
(Germany), a research project analyzing the
pandemic’s impact on vulnerable groups
and identifying strategies for inclusive
and effective communications.
Message delivered at the 2024
Global Refugee Forum in Geneva
Somali Democracy Workshops held at the mumok in Vienna