From 5 to 9 May 2025, six second-year students from the BSc Nursing programme at the , University of Malta, participated in the Blended Intensive Programme (BIP) on Digital Health Transformation in Nursing & Healthcare.
The programme was hosted by Metropolia University of Applied Sciences in Helsinki, Finland, and brought together nursing students and faculty from eight countries: Finland, Estonia, Denmark, Portugal, Italy, Malta, Germany, and the UK.
This multicultural, interdisciplinary learning initiative was designed to equip students with key digital competencies and prepare them for the evolving landscape of healthcare delivery. Participating students engaged in a blended learning format, which included online preparatory sessions between January and April 2025, followed by an intensive, in-person mobility week in Helsinki.
Two academic staff members— and Dr Daren Chircop, contributed to teaching sessions during the programme. The week featured a variety of collaborative workshops, lectures, and team-based activities centred on the integration of digital tools in healthcare, artificial intelligence, patient safety, and sustainability.
A central feature of the programme was the use of the design thinking methodology, a solution-focused, human-centred approach to problem-solving. Students were grouped with international peers to work on real-world healthcare challenges, applying the design thinking process to propose innovative, digitally-driven solutions that support patient safety and improve healthcare delivery.
This hands-on, collaborative experience not only broadened students’ understanding of digital transformation in nursing, but also fostered intercultural competence, teamwork, and critical thinking—key attributes for future healthcare professionals navigating an increasingly digital world.
