As MedGen project is devoted to the development of the active workforce of medical genetics in Armenia and Israel, the Graz Model for Integrative Development (Mader, C., 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012) was considered as the best framework to reach the strategic aim of the project. Therefore, the Graz Model for Integrative Development was considered and adapted for the launch of postgraduate clinical residency education in medical genetics. The model presents a tool to holistically and scientifically reflect and evaluate sustainability processes as well as to provide support in its planning and further development. Development processes can be monitored from the vision to the implementation.

The Graz Model for Integrative Development describes various development processes on the basis of five principles:

1. Leadership & Vision
Forms of leadership and ways of communicating and/or sharing a vision are analyzed. Responsible leadership can be seen as a prerequisite for successful sustainability processes. Transformational leadership describes the involvement of relevant and affected people in decision-making processes as well as in the further development of a shared vision.

2. Social Network
The social network involves the active people and stakeholders concerned. Two factors define the level of the network—the form of cooperation and the intensity of trust.

3. Participation
Participation describes how people as part of a social network become involved and have the opportunity to influence the development of the process according to their needs and interests. People of the social network can for example be informed, consulted or take part in decision-making processes.

4. Education & Learning
This principle tries to find out how best to integrate education and professional training in sustainability processes. Additionally, the people involved spent some thought on how the whole process is reflected, if common learning takes place and how the vision might have to be changed.

5. Research integration
Research integration plays a fundamental role in innovation for sustainability processes. Interdisciplinarity takes different perspectives and methods (disciplines) into account; transdisciplinarity actively integrates people concerned by the research process.

Integrative development is manifested by blurring of the individual principles and its intensity increases towards 'the center' of the model (Mader et al., 2011).

All five abovementioned priniciples were integrated for the launch of the medical genetic education as a specialty at YSMU and RAU.