International mobility represents an important aspect of the professional development of ICEPS staff, providing opportunities to establish new partnerships, exchange experiences, and explore contemporary trends in education. Such an experience was gained by our colleague Katarina Živanović, Project Management Specialist at ICEPS, through her participation in the International Health Staff Week, held at the Faculty of Health Sciences of the University of Malaga, Spain, from May 11 to 15. The event brought together 18 academic and administrative staff members from 11 higher education institutions across Europe, with the shared goal of strengthening international cooperation and exchanging best practices in health education.
Katarina Živanović describes the mobility as an extremely positive experience, both professionally and personally. She particularly highlights the excellent balance between the academic program, cultural activities, and networking opportunities, including a Spanish dinner, a flamenco evening, a tour of the Andalusia region, and an international breakfast.
During the program, Katarina had the opportunity to explore innovations in health education, particularly the application of digital technologies in teaching and learning. Among the highlights that left the strongest impression on her were examples of using virtual reality (VR) in the education of healthcare professionals, as well as the organization of online learning for master’s students through modern digital classrooms. Her visit to the University of Malaga also provided valuable insight into the institution’s impressive infrastructure dedicated to healthcare education, including simulation centers, laboratories, digital classrooms, study spaces for independent student work, and numerous facilities designed to support the well-being of both students and staff.
A particularly significant contribution to the program was made by Katarina through her leadership of the three-hour “Collaboration Lab Workshop.” Based on previous cooperation with representatives of the University of Malaga, she was invited to design and facilitate a workshop focused on partnership development during the project ideation process, which serves as a notable recognition of her expertise in project management. Through interactive working methods, participants collaborated in small groups to develop project concepts, present them to their peers, and discuss opportunities for future cooperation. The innovative approach and dynamic atmosphere made Katarina’s workshop stand out among the program activities.
“The feedback after the workshop was overwhelmingly positive, and many partners expressed a strong interest in staying in touch even after the event,” Katarina notes.
As a result of this engagement, Katarina established valuable connections with representatives of higher education institutions from Lithuania, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Türkiye, and several other countries. In particular, new opportunities emerged for cooperation in cosmetology, student and staff exchanges, and joint participation in international projects.
In addition to its professional benefits, the mobility experience also had a strong personal impact. Her stay in Spain further motivated Katarina to intensify her study of the Spanish language, while working in an international environment enhanced her communication skills, adaptability, and ability to creatively address challenges when collaborating with diverse groups of participants.
The experience at the University of Malaga confirmed that ICEPS possesses a high level of expertise and a strong educational approach, particularly in the areas of practical training and international project development.
For Katarina Živanović, this mobility represents an important step in her continued professional growth, as well as motivation to further contribute to internationalization efforts, project development, and the establishment of new international partnerships. The experience in Malaga once again demonstrated the immense value of international mobility programs for knowledge exchange, networking, and creating new opportunities for the advancement of higher education.
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the National Agency. Neither the European Union nor National Agency can be held responsible for them.
[SRB] Finansirano sredstvima Evropske unije. Izražena stanovišta predstavljaju isključivo stanovišta autora i ne odražavaju nužno stavove Evropske unije ili Fondacije Tempus. Ni pod kojim uslovima se Evropska unija ni davalac namenskih bespovratnih sredstava ne mogu smatrati odgovornima za njihovu sadržinu.