Project name: Supporting development of TransCultural Competence for healthcare professionals in the Western Balkans (TCCWB).

Duration in months: 36.

Partners: University of Applied Sciences ODISEE in Brussels (Belgium), University of Zenica (Bosnia and Herzegovina), University of Shkodër "Luigj Gurakuqi" (Albania), University of Applied Sciences Turku (Finland), University of East Sarajevo (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Foundation fami (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Sarajevo Meeting of Cultures (Bosnia and Herzegovina), "Dzemal Bijedic" University in Mostar (Bosnia and Herzegovina), "Eqrem Çabej" University in Gjirokastër (Albania).

Abstract: Transcultural competencies in the Western Balkans (TCCWB) is a capacity building project that aims to support HEIs in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) and Albania to develop material to enable nursing students in the region to deliver culturally congruent (nursing) care to all care recipients, including those with migration backgrounds or on the migratory routes through Europe.

EU and non-EU countries have a shared responsibility to protect the rights of migrants on the move, regardless of their legal status. Transcultural competence will enable nurses to respect the human dignity and human rights of migrants. Cooperation between EU and non-EU countries is also important for facilitating the integration of migrants into their host societies. Understanding the differences between cultural values, peoples’ morals, and national versus EU legislation can reduce the likelihood of ethical problems, disappointments, and illegal activities. The aim of these transcultural educational programs is to promote a more humane and sustainable approach to the nursing care and education of migrants. The goal for the programs is to ensure that nurses have the knowledge, attitude, and skills to treat the migrants fairly when providing basic healthcare services for them. In line with the regional priority to “support innovation and reform within the education sector that address the skills needs for the labor market of tomorrow”, the cocreation of a new study program focused on transcultural competence, implemented in nursing curricula in beneficiary HEI in the WB will benefit both the educators and the students. This new curriculum will also support students in caring for new populations and people on the move, as well as students with migration backgrounds entering studying in WB.

Main Objective: Development and innovation of teaching methodologies to integrate transcultural competencies in (pre and post-registration) nursing education in order to increase the skills of the health care workforce. This project responds to the call by developing future-oriented curricula that better meets the needs of nursing students and nurses by developing content (transcultural nursing) and delivery methods (distance and digital learning) that support nursing students, faculty and practicing nurses in becoming more competent caregivers able to meet increasingly complex needs. This project encourages the development and implementation of digital higher education and mainstreams digitalization in the nursing curriculum. Through focusing on the most vulnerable and emphasizing the health care recipients’ values, beliefs, and customs and how someone's way of life, their modes of thought, and their unique customs, this project helps to lay the foundations for strengthening active citizenship in nursing students and faculty in Albania and BiH. Finally, by focusing on transcultural communication in all areas of healthcare (primary and tertiary care, community nursing etc) this project is relevant to the call by developing education to build ‘soft skills’ for life and work.

Specific Objectives:

- Establish the current situation and the new priorities for the integration of transcultural competence curricula in nursing schools and in practice in the Western Balkans (BiH and Albania) o Building on the needs identified in the previous project in the first 6 months of the project, based on a review of recent reports (CRS Report on the people one the move from 2020) and surveys of nursing faculty and students a project roadmap will guide the project and be published in the WB region in order to raise awareness of cultural competence and highlight needs.

- In order to improve the level of competence and skills new and innovative education programs will be developed. Material will correspond to 3ECTS but will be developed such that it can be integrated into preregistration nursing programs in existing modules, or as stand-alone material for pre-registration or post-registration micro credentials.

- Support capacity building for formal and informal education in nursing by training of trainers (nursing faculty).

- The model will focus on cocreation (with faculty and students) and digitalisation to enhance the digital skills of students and staff.

- Success in this objective will be measured by active participation of nursing faculty beyond the beneficiary researchers and technicians in the HEIs in WB and by active student participation and testing of pilot training material.

- Implementing materials and methodologies for formal and informal transcultural competence education in nursing schools. By focussing on transcultural care the project will promote o equality, equity, non-discrimination and the promotion of civic competences in higher education in BiH and Albania o enhance the knowledge base of nursing faculty.

- Strengthening of infrastructure to deliver training in partner countries by bringing together a diverse range of HEIs and NGOs in two countries in the Western Balkans alongside two HEIs in programme countries this project aims to foster cooperation and the exchange of good practices.

- Cooperation between two countries in WB addresses regional issues and strengthens alliances supporting the strengthening of higher education’s wider social ecosystem in both countries and the region.