During the two-day meeting, representatives from partner universities took part in working sessions to develop strategies for improving knowledge transfer and research quality in the healthcare sector. Among the delegates visiting UIC Barcelona were members from Hochschule Bielefeld University of Applied Sciences and Arts (Germany), FH Salzburg (Austria), Jan Evangelista Purkyně University in Ústí nad Labem (Czech Republic), Klaipedos Valstybine Kolegija (Lithuania), CESPU (Portugal), Egas Moniz (Portugal), the University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Grigore T. Popa” of Iasi (Romania), and the Medical University of Lublin (Poland).

Several academics presented the university’s undergraduate and master’s degree programmes, as well as its research initiatives and facilities in the healthcare field. Representing UIC Barcelona were Rosalía Rodríguez, director of the Department of Biomedical Sciences; Laura Gómez, lecturer in the Bachelor’s Degree in Medicine; Aïda Cadellans, lecturer in the Bachelor’s Degree in Physiotherapy; Begoña Díaz, deputy director of the Department of Psychology; Miguel Ángel Mateos, deputy director of the Department of Bioengineering; Albert Gallart, deputy director of the Department of Nursing; Vanessa Alcántara, operations manager at CISA; Josep Maria García, manager of CUO; and Soledad Pérez, researcher at the Bioengineering Institute of Technology (BIT).

The primary aim of the meeting was to collaborate on the Horizon Europe (Widera Call), which fall under the European Excellence Initiative. This initiative seeks to strengthen research excellence in higher education institutions across the Widening Countries – European nations with historically low participation in Horizon 2020 and FP7 projects.

Educare 5.0: An international alliance for innovation in health

Led by UIC Barcelona in collaboration with nine European universities, the Educare 5.0 project harnesses innovative digital tools to enhance healthcare education across multiple dimensions, including research, teaching, entrepreneurship, and community impact. The initiative is built on six strategic pillars: establishing a digital literacy centre, creating nine research centres, launching entrepreneurship laboratories, developing the Genesis Campus (a digital campus), fostering collaborative ecosystems, and promoting sustainable care models.

This European initiative marks a significant step towards building a more innovative, collaborative, and sustainable educational and healthcare ecosystem to address current challenges in the sector. With the support of its nine partner universities, the project aims not only to improve the training of healthcare professionals but also to drive research and entrepreneurship, ultimately making a positive impact on society.