Trnava University conferred honorary doctorates on two distinguished foreign experts on Monday, May 13, 2024. The first of these honorary doctorates was awarded to the Vice-Dean for Science and Research and Director of the Institute of Nursing, Midwifery, and Emergency Care, Prof. PhDr. Valérie Tóthová, Ph.D. She became the first professor in the Czech Republic in the field of nursing and is recognized in the scientific community as an expert who influences the development of nursing in the Czech Republic.

The acting rector of Trnava University, Prof. Miloš Lichner, SJ, also presented an honorary doctorate to Professor Michael F. Kolarcik, SJ. This Canadian Jesuit of Slovak origin, emeritus rector of the Pontifical Biblical Institute (Biblicum), served in the 1990s at the Theological Institute of St. Alojz in Bratislava, which later transformed into the Theological Faculty of Trnava University, and at several research institutions worldwide. He is particularly interested in the Old Testament, specifically in wisdom literature. Trnava University has conferred the honorary title of doctor honoris causa on 53 distinguished scientific authorities in its history. Among its recipients are already 23 individuals from abroad.

The Dean of the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences of the University of South Bohemia, Dr. Ivana Chloubová, along with the Vice-Dean for Science and Research, Prof. Valérie Tóthová, and the Vice-Dean for International Relations, Dr. František Dolák, undertook a week-long trip to the United States of America in late February and March. The main goal was to deepen cooperation with The Ohio State University (OSU), a public research university in Columbus, Ohio. This trip followed previous visits by academic staff from the College of Nursing at our faculty (Susan O'Hara, PhD, MPH, RN – June 2022, Dianne Morrison-Beedy, PhD, RN, CGNC, FNAP, FAANP, FAAN – September 2023 Fulbright Scholarship), as well as Prof. Tóthová's visit to the College of Nursing in October 2022. The visit succeeded in establishing further contacts in the field of scientific research, expanding existing cooperation, and obtaining numerous specific impulses that will be beneficial for our faculty, particularly in the establishment of new centres for research activities at the FHSS USB: the Evidence-Based Nursing Centre (EBN), the Virtual Learning Centre, and the Research Centre for the History of Nursing and Health Care.

The College of Nursing at The Ohio State University is a unique institution, especially regarding its centre for EBN and the Centre for Healthcare Innovation. The research staff willingly shared their experiences with the functioning of these centres with members of the FHSS USB leadership, which was very beneficial and inspiring. In evidence-based nursing, healthcare professionals verify the correctness of their procedures based on experiences presented in various scientific publications, leading to the improvement of nursing care. The Dean summarized: "We want our students not to limit their knowledge only to the period of education at the university but to be able to transfer it into clinical practice." In America, EBN is also used in hospitals and community care, while in our country, it remains at the level of university education.

A highlight for the members of our faculty leadership was the visit to the Center for Healthcare Innovation, where they saw the practical implementation of ideas from clinical practice. The opportunity to use the experiences of people working in the field, who come to the centre with ideas for various improvements to aids or the production of small items, is very useful for the FHSS USB as well. It already plans to produce some aids for teaching specialized subjects in the simulation centre using a 3D printer. Small items can also be produced at the faculty, utilizing the experience and advice of teachers who are familiar with the situations from their practice.

During their stay in Ohio, representatives of the FHSS USB also visited the simulation centre for the education of future nurses, medics, and doctors. The Dean, Dr. Chloubová evaluated the experience of this excursion: "I must say that I am proud because our simulation centre surpasses it in some respects. Although we do not have such extensive spaces and places for simulating work in community care, our technology, equipment, and especially our method of teaching may be even better. I appreciate how our teachers have embraced simulation teaching and have created a number of scenarios to guide students in their work."

The rich programme in the USA also included a comparison of nursing study programmes in Europe and the USA, clarification of cooperation at a global conference held in Prague in September in which colleagues from Ohio will also take part, and further negotiations on cooperation in organizing an international nursing symposium hosted by our faculty next autumn.

On November 6, 2023, Professor Valérie Tóthová, the Vice-Dean for Science and Research and the Director of the Institute of Nursing, Midwifery, and Emergency Care at the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, University of South Bohemia, was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Hungarian Order of Merit (civilian group). The decoration was presented by the Hungarian Ambassador to the Czech Republic, on behalf of the Hungarian President, in recognition of her decades-long efforts in advancing Hungarian-Czech relations in the field of healthcare and healthcare education.

The field of healthcare, specifically nursing, has always been her life's passion, and strengthening collaboration on both national and international levels has been among her objectives. Over the past decades, Professor Tóthová, along with her colleagues, invested significant effort in promoting cooperation between Hungarian and Czech healthcare and in enhancing the quality of healthcare education.

Throughout her career, Professor Tóthová has encountered many outstanding individuals and had the opportunity to collaborate with experts who share similar dedication and passion for health and science. "I consider the bestowing of the highest state decoration not only as recognition of my past contributions but also as a commitment to further and more intensive work in this field. This accolade belongs not only to me but to all who have collaborated and supported me on this journey. I express my gratitude to my family, friends, colleagues, and everyone who contributed to our success," stated Prof. Valérie Tóthová.

Professor Dianne Morrison-Beedy, PhD, RN, CGNC, FNAP, FAANP, FAAN, from our partner university The Ohio State University (USA), visited the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences USB from October 6­ ­– 24. Her visit was part of the Fulbright project to build research capacity for teachers and master's and doctoral students at the Institute of Nursing, Midwifery and Emergency Care. The goal was primarily to expand collaboration opportunities in research, evidence-based practice, and publishing. While here, Professor Morrison-Beedy established contacts that will continue to deepen and develop: she already has plans for joint scientific articles, creating scenarios for teaching in the simulation centre, and more.

Professor Morrison-Beedy mainly focuses on research and evidence-based practice in the field of nursing (EBN). She has received many prestigious awards and has visited Norway, Scotland, and France as a Fulbright specialist to support research activities. Thanks to her visit, the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences USB can become even more involved in the changes that will affect the development of nursing throughout the Czech Republic.

Based on her research and EBN experience, Professor Morrison-Beedy organized an intensive research seminar/workshop at the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences USB, which focused on designing, conducting analysis, and funding intervention research. She shared her rich experiences in creating systematic reviews with teachers and doctoral students. Another of her tasks was to enhance the skills of academic staff in scientific publishing, which will increase the possibility of disseminating and promoting our nursing science in prestigious scientific journals.

Professor Morrison-Beedy was invited to our faculty after establishing a relationship with the Dean of Science and Research and the Director of the Institute of Nursing, Midwifery, and Emergency Care, Professor PhDr. Valérie Tóthová, Ph.D. Their first meeting took place online, and, based on that conversation, they quickly realized that they shared the same goal and similar views on the future development of nursing. Shortly after, Professor Tóthová travelled to Ohio University where Professor Morrison-Beedy served as her supervisor for two weeks. This collaboration now continues more broadly at our faculty – with other colleagues at the Institute of Nursing, Midwifery, and Emergency Care.

Summing up her experiences, Professor Morrison-Beedy said: "I have witnessed great enthusiasm and excitement in your people who are ready to make every effort to improve the field of nursing. I met a team here with a common goal, which is to advance nursing. You have great research, and it is clear that your people do it well and dedicate a lot to it." She added that she had found new friends here and would love to become an ambassador in the area to assist in finding ways that benefit the further development of nursing in our country.

This is why experts who come as Fulbright specialists are tasked with learning about the history and development context of a particular country. It is important for them to get acquainted with the circumstances in which the country is developing (and where it is heading) to better understand the mentality of the people, culture, and the specifics of a particular nation. In the Czech Republic, nursing research activities only began to develop at the end of the last century (or after the Velvet Revolution) when there was a transformation of nursing education. As part of this transformation, gaining the necessary qualifications moved to university – and it was only then that the development of nursing research activities began. The challenges that come from clinical practice require an increasing set of skills for conducting applied and intervention research. Successful research activity is not possible without the ability to work with scientific material obtained from scientific publications and EBN, along with the ability to apply them in clinical practice.

Professor Morrison-Beedy pointed out that she had met outstanding research at the faculty, the results of which have a significant impact on practice and significantly affect the domestic health care system. "Your experts are very progressive, and the results of their scientific work will have an impact on the whole of the Czech Republic," she said. She also arranged with the Director of the Institute of Nursing, Midwifery, and Emergency Care to link academic staff with American colleagues according to their areas of expertise – and the same applies to doctoral students. Thanks to this, she already has several specific plans. "For example, when I visited your Simulation Centre for health fields, it immediately occurred to me that paths could be found to connect our two institutions in simulation,” she said. “Whether online or in person. This cooperation can be useful for teaching scenarios." As an example, she mentioned neonatology: her colleague from the American university focuses on newborn resuscitation, so there could be an inspiring comparison of resuscitation standards and a possible transfer to our practice.

In addition to the professional programme at the Institute of Nursing, Midwifery, and Emergency Care at the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences USB, Professor Morrison-Beedy also attended the graduation ceremony collegium at the Metropol Cultural House on October 19. "It warmed my heart to see so many young people who are ready to change the world as future healthcare professionals," she said. On October 21 she participated in the South Bohemian Nurse competition, where she encouraged our three teams at individual stations during competitive disciplines. In the near future, she will receive another important award for her research, this time from an association that focuses on nursing and care for people with AIDS.

The Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, JU, Prof. PhDr. Valérie Tóthová, Ph.D, concluded the visit by saying: "I am very pleased that Professor Dianne Morrison-Beedy accepted the invitation to our faculty. We had the opportunity to introduce both pedagogical activities and, above all, our research activities in the field of nursing. Her praise pleased us. With the help of her and her colleagues, we can continue to develop nursing, not only at our faculty, but also throughout the country. It is interesting that American nurses were already influencing the development of nursing here at the time of the first Czechoslovak Republic, and we can learn a lot from them even now. I am extremely pleased at this close cooperation with such a prominent figure in American nursing. From her CV, we can see that Professor Morrison-Beedy has not only contributed to nursing in research and EBN as a solver of research projects, but also as an Assessment Director (CCC Accreditation), Director of the Programme "Family Nurse Practitioner Programme," Vice-Dean for Research, Faculty Dean, Director of Talents, and Global Strategy – and these are just some of the positions she has held. Besides being a Fulbright specialist at several universities, she is and has been an Honorary Professor and Visiting Professor at several universities. Together with Professor Morrison-Beedy, we have specific plans, and we will actively work on their implementation."

The common denominator at a recent meeting were stories and observations of students who had returned from their stays abroad. "We live your life stories with you, and this includes various experiences, including venturing into the world for an internship. You don't need to worry about being exposed to any danger – if the situation gets complicated, we are always ready to bring you back to the Czech Republic," reassured the Dean, Dr. Ivana Chloubová, after listening to a series of diverse narratives. Dr. František Dolák, the Vice-Dean for Foreign Relations, repeatedly emphasized that going abroad means stepping out of one's comfort zone, which, among other things, teaches students responsibility. One presentation even concluded with the quote from the writer Neal Donald Walsch: "Life begins at the end of your comfort zone."

The participants filled Lecture theatre A and experienced a very interesting afternoon full of inspiration, enthusiasm, and shared memories and experiences ­(both professional and personal). The International Relations Office regularly organizes these meetings at our faculty. This time, students who had prepared presentations about Albania, Nepal, Slovakia, and Slovenia were given the floor.

At the same time, participants learned about the possibilities of foreign study stays, internships, and the activities of the Erasmus Student Network (ESN) in which they can participate. Bc. Lenka Nedvědová,Vice-president of ESN USB Budweis, spoke about the purpose, benefits, and advantages of this network. Currently, there are only six students from the FHSS USB in the ESN, so others are welcome to join.

Mgr. Radek Vistořín, a second-year doctoral student of social work who focuses on migration issues, spent two months in Albania. This was the first time he had embarked on an internship abroad and he regrets not having done it earlier. "I gained a broader perspective and I´m now also aware that I can take care of myself in a foreign country. The most valuable thing I realized was how great we have it here," he summarized. He spent his two-month internship in a country that is experiencing an exodus of its citizens.

The second presentation described the experience of four students who worked for two months in Nepal. The students were Bc. Michaela Haisová and Bc. Alžběta Šmejkalová (postgraduate study in Nursing), Michaela Popová, and Petra Pragerová (second year of Physiotherapy). They appreciated meeting with Dr. Urbanová before leaving. She helped them prepare for the cultural shock, which later proved to be very beneficial. They remembered their stay with great enthusiasm, sincere joy, and humour, even offering contact information for reliable accommodation and other advice to anyone considering a stay there. The audience showed great interest during the presentation. Dean Chloubová and Vice-Dean Dolák also visited Nepal last year in November. The Dean reminded everyone, "You can't really talk about Nepal, you just need to experience it." They agreed that their value hierarchy had changed. Nepal is a country that can heal and give a lot to sensitive people.

Students of Medical Rescue, Roman Klabouch and Tereza Forstová, spent three months working in the mountain rescue service in Slovakia (where our faculty has been sending students for many years). For experienced skiers, it is a very popular place with friendly colleagues. "We realized that this can only be experienced once in a lifetime,” said the students. “It was still fieldwork, which always requires improvisation. We had a lot of outings, sometimes as many as 25 a day – we didn't even have time to return to the base, and we hopped from snowmobile to snowmobile."

The last presentation described a stay which was short but also intense. From September 8 ­–15, three General Nursing students and one Paediatric Nursing student participated in the Simulation and Play in Nursing Education summer school held by the University of Maribor, Faculty of Health Sciences in Slovenia. The summer school was held in English and offered students valuable content and an unforgettable stay in Slovenia. Veronika Mandyszová and Michaela Kuchařová presented their experiences. They enjoyed their first short stay abroad and are now planning another longer stay.  

Our faculty offers many opportunities for students to go abroad because we have a dense and well-functioning network of international relations. It is an exceptional opportunity to experience different environments, compare working and living conditions here and abroad, improve language skills, and gain new colleagues and friends. The majority of students who take advantage of these opportunities return enriched with lifelong experiences. All the students who talked about their foreign internships on Monday confirmed that they had received great support from Ing. Jana Ředinová at the International Relations Office of FHSS USB. Ultimately, they recommended that participants should not be afraid to go abroad, as such an opportunity and service won’t repeat.

The Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Rzeszów hosted the 15th International Symposium "Nursing in Interdisciplinary Healthcare" from September 21 to 22, 2023. Initiated in 2008 at the University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, these meetings have become a significant forum for the exchange of knowledge and experiences among scientific and professional communities of nurses and representatives from various healthcare professions in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia, and Poland.

Through collaboration and the dedication of their representatives, four universities annually organize this unique event. The symposium is organized by the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences at the University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice (Czech Republic), the Faculty of Social Sciences and Health Care at Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra (Slovakia), the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Pécs (Hungary), and the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Rzeszów (Poland). This year's symposium theme, "Nursing in Interdisciplinary Healthcare," perfectly reflected the current activities aimed at advancing various healthcare fields. The event provided an opportunity for discussions among leaders and experts, fostering closer relationships and supporting activities to promote scientific research and new competencies in nursing and related professions.

Educational workshops on topics such as "Individualized Nutritional Therapy in Diabetes - the Role of a Diabetes Educator," "Selected Options for Wound Debridement and Stimulation of Repair Processes," "What Deep Wounds Need to Heal?" and "Effective Treatment of Intestinal and Urostomy Stomas with a Focus on Preventing Skin Complications and Improving the Quality of Life for Patients" allowed participants to acquire information about the latest advancements in modern nursing. The Faculty of Health and Social Sciences was represented by nine members of the Department of Nursing, Midwifery, and Emergency Care, who presented the results of ongoing research projects in their lectures. Dean Dr. Ivana Chloubová, along with Vice Dean for International Relations Dr. František Dolák, engaged in discussions with representatives from the aforementioned partner universities regarding further collaboration possibilities. The next international symposium will take place at the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Pécs (Hungary) from September 19 to 20, 2024.

Representatives from the FHSS USB presented the following topics:

Mgr. Ivana Chloubová, Ph.D. – Secondary health care nursing during the COVID-19 pandemic through the eyes of the general public

Doc. PhDr. Sylva Bártlová, Ph.D. – Are primary care nurses interested in telecommunication during the period of pandemic COVID-19?

Mgr. František Dolák, Ph.D. – Nurses and information during a pandemic

Mgr. Jitka Doležalová, Ph.D. – Cultural Competence in Nurses in adult general practitioner practices, Complex education of ischemic heart disease patients coordinated by nurses

Mgr. Hana Hajduchová, Ph.D. – Interrupting during medicine administration as a risk area of nursing care

Mgr. Romana Belešová – Midwife’s interventions in the care of a woman with mental disorders during postnatal period

PhDr. Drahomíra Filausová, Ph.D. – Standards of care in maternity hospitals in Southbohemian region from the perspective of women

Mgr. Alena Machová – The use of RAPPT scale in prevention of SUPC by the nursing staff in delivery rooms of selected hospitals in Southbohemian region

PhDr. Martin Červený – Factors influencing medication administration errors in clinical nursing practice: a study in the Czech Republic, poster: Impact of interventions on disease progression and patient outcomes in pre-dialysis stages of chronic kidney disease: an evidence-based practice project

According to the citation database Journal Citation Report™ (JCR), our journal KONTAKT has an impact factor of 0.3 for 2022. “This is a great success for our faculty, as the impact factor proves that the articles we publish in the journal after a rigorous peer-review process are cited in other professional journals, which shows their influence and importance in the given scientific field. Obtaining the impact factor is generally rated as a very good indicator of the quality and scientific research published in it. The impact factor can also attract more quality research papers and contribute to the reputation and fame of the faculty,“ explained the Vice-Dean for Science and Research, Prof. Valérie Tóthová, PhD.

KONTAKT – Journal of nursing and social sciences related to health and illness was founded in 1999 and is indexed in the databases Web of Science (ESCI), Scopus, EBSCO, DOAJ, CrossRef, ProQuest.

It is the official journal of the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences of the University of South Bohemia in Ceske Budejovice in the Czech Republic, published quarterly in English language. Published by Elsevier since 2014 until 2018. Kontakt accepts for publication original research, review articles, letters to editor and interesting case reports, on all aspects of nursing, health and social problems related to health and illness. The journal is registered in Bibliographia medica Cechoslovaca (BMC) and is a member of COPE (Commitee on Publication Ethics). KONTAKT is an open access journal.

Editorial office accepts articles in English language, in Czech and Slovak language are acceptable as well. After reviews, Czech and Slovak corrected versions are sent to authors for translation. All articles are reviewed by at least two independent reviewers. The review process is reciprocally anonymous. Without English version, the article can not be published.

Articles are published in two sections:

1. The nursing sectionfocuses on the support of nursing via the dissemination of the latest, evidence-based peer reviewed findings. The section serves as a forum for the exchange of knowledge relating to the education of nurses, the exchange of knowledge and skills in clinical nursing, the development of nursing concepts and innovation in health policy. It deals with the legal and ethical issues, nurses' views on patient safety, nursing activities in multicultural environments and progress in nursing practice.

The main topic areas include:

• Clinical nursing
• Management in nursing
• Evidence-based nursing
• Multicultural nursing
• Nursing ethics
• Quality of life in illness

2. The social sciences in health sectionaccepts contributions relating to any aspect of health from a broad perspective of the social sciences, including the medical impact on society. It also accepts contributions dealing with ethical issues in health care, risk management and the impact of political and economic conditions in the field of health. The aim of the articles is to develop understanding and to provide practical application of quantitative and qualitative research methods concerning the management, application or use of the research in health and social care.

The main topic areas include:

• Social determinants of health
• Social work and health
• Legal and economic issues concerning health
• Ethical issues in social sciences and health

The fourth annual conference, held last week at the Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Lublin, aimed to support doctoral students in the field of nursing. The conference was attended by doctoral students from the Czech Republic and Slovakia, accompanied by their program supervisors. Their colleagues from Hungary were absent this year. A total of 28 doctoral students presented papers on the research findings of their dissertation topics, while another eight students presented their results in the poster section.

Our faculty was represented by five doctoral students, three from the full-time study programme and two from the part-time programme. The following papers were presented: Mgr. Eva Lužová's "Deactivation of implantable cardioverter-defibrillators in terminally ill patients from the perspective of oncology nurses – a qualitative research." PhDr. Martin Červený's "Self-assessment of the cultural competence of nurses in the Czech and Slovak Republics." Msc. Rehana Sindho Kabooro's "Initial findings on nursing competencies compared to Sweden and the Czech Republic." PhDr. Hana Kubešová's "Medication misconduct and adverse event reporting," and Mgr. Inka Kratochvílová's "Palliative nursing care in different types of healthcare facilities".

Prof. PhDr. Valérie Tóthová, Ph.D., Vice-Dean for Science and Research and the coordinator of the doctoral study program in nursing said: "The presentations by our doctoral students were of a high standard, and they responded with expertise to the questions raised during the discussions." Vice-Dean Tóthová was not the only academic staff member from our faculty who attended the conference to support the doctoral students. The dean of the faculty, Mgr. Ivana Chloubová, Ph.D., and Doc. PhDr. Sylva Bártlová, Ph.D. also travelled to Lublin, Poland. Both appreciated the conference, highlighting the quality of the doctoral students' presentations as well as the workshop that followed the annual conference. This year's workshop entitled "How to prepare a constructive review of a scientific paper?" was led by Professor Alvisa Palesa who is currently serving as a “visiting professor” at the Medical University of Poland.

During their visit from May 21st to 25th, representatives from the Institute of Nursing, Midwifery and Emergency Care of the FHSS USB, strengthened collaboration with the Faculty of Health Sciences of the University of Sarajevo. Doc. PhDr. Marie Trešlová, Ph.D., Mgr. Hana Hajduchová, Ph.D., and Mgr. František Dolák, Ph.D., met with Prof. Dr. Jasmina Mahmutović, Vice-Dean for International Relations, and Prof. Dr. Vedran Đido, Head of the Department of Nursing. They agreed on a shared vision for further cooperation, with a specific focus on supporting the development of simulation-based education by the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences USB. Additionally, the participants discussed opportunities for professional practice for nursing students.

Dr. Dolák, Vice-Dean for International Relations and Head of the Simulation Centre for Healthcare Professions at the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences USB, summarized: "Our colleagues from Sarajevo have expressed interest in collaborating on research projects that they cannot undertake by themselves. We also discussed the possibility of publishing in their faculty journal, the Journal of Health Sciences. Collaboration in the field of multicultural nursing appears highly valuable for inter-faculty cooperation, specifically within the nursing discipline, as the visiting party possesses extensive practical experience in this area."

Lectures for students in the fourth and sixth semesters of the bachelor’s degree programme in nursing were part of the visit. Faculty members from the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences USB presented the following topics: History and development of nursing in the Czech Republic, Communication in nursing, Empathy in nursing education and practice, Simulation training in nursing, Nursing education in the Czech Republic in the context of EU requirements, Nursing education – theoretical and practical teaching, Community care, and Scientific publication activity in the field of nursing. Vice-Dean Dolák added: "The students showed interest in mobility opportunities in the Czech Republic and positively responded to the presented topics and information."

Members of the Institute of Nursing, Midwifery, and Emergency Care, Mgr. František Dolák, Ph.D., PhDr. Andrea Hudáčková, Ph.D., Mgr. Lucie Vlkojanová, and Mgr. Veronika Jílková visited the Tartu Health Care College in Estonia from May 29th to June 1st. The visit was part of the international Erasmus+ project "Automated External Defibrillators Save Lives," in which the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences USB is a co-investigator. The purpose of the stay was to familiarize ourselves with the model and possibilities of using automated external defibrillators in Estonia. Dr. Dolák, the Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences USB for international relations, summarised: "The program that had been prepared for us fully corresponded to the project's objectives. We were able to gain insight into the pre-hospital care system and the functioning of the Estonian emergency medical service, including its dispatch centre. Our colleagues also organized excursions to hospitals in Tartu and the South Estonian Hospital. The meeting with the representative of the Setomaa municipal office, who outlined the possibilities of healthcare and community care in rural areas, was also very beneficial."

Representatives of the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences and the Faculty of Education of the USB participated in educational and training activities at the University of Tirana in Albania from April 30th to May 5th. Five employees from the Institute of Social and Special-paedagogical Sciences, along with Dr. Radka Prokešová from the Institute of Humanities in the Helping Professions, participated on behalf of the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences. Colleagues from the Faculty of Education, Doc. Lucie Betáková and Dr. Zuzana Bílková, joined them. The rich programme began with a discussion on the prepared project "Social work with foreigners and minorities – new methods, techniques, and teaching approaches at universities in selected European countries" (KA220-HED-22DF576D).

The next day, a working meeting was held with Prof. Dr. Edmond Rapti, the Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, Prof. Assoc. Edi Lame – Vice Dean, Prof. Assoc. Rudina Rama –- Vice Dean, Prof. Assoc. Eljona Kulluri ­­– Chief of the Department of Social Work and Social Policy, Prof. Assoc. Arjana Muça ­– Chief of the Department of Psychology, Prof. Assoc. Blerina Hamzallari ­– Chief of the Department of Sociology, and Prof. Assoc. Aida Goga ­– Chief of the Department of Philosophy. Our academics gave lectures to educators and students at the Faculty of Social Sciences. The lecture topics were diverse and demonstrated the breadth of expertise at our faculty. Doc. Vacková, Director of the Institute of Social and Special-paedagogical Sciences, said: "The collaboration with the University of Tirana is very significant for our institute, as confirmed by the meeting with the Vice-Rector for Science and International Relations, Prof. Dr. Bernard Dosti."

Students of bachelor's and follow-up study programmes attended lectures by Dr. Motlová, who presented the topic of “Intervention, activities, and therapy with animal assistance.” Dr. Stejskalová focused on the topic of “Health and illness and the quality of life.” Dr. Murad led a discussion that included practical training on the topic of “Visual sociology for social work – globalization, diversity, and the contemporary city.” Dr. Švestková presented the topic of “Multisensory Room SNOEZELEN and its use in social work.” She also brought some aids from the multisensory room which are used in teaching. Dr. Prokešová lectured on the topic of “Project preparation in the field of social work,” and doc. Vacková spoke about the “Roma minority ­– challenges for social work.”

Dr. Motlová who holds the position of a scientific, research, and development worker at the Institute of Social and Special-paedagogical Sciences added: "We will welcome our colleagues from the University of Tirana to our faculty in June, and we will continue working on joint scientific and publishing activities."

In the second week of May, the director of the Institute of Physiotherapy and Selected Medical Disciplines, MUDr. et Mgr. Marcela Míková, Ph.D., and doc. PhDr. Adéla Mojžíšová, Ph.D., from the Institute of Social and Special-Paedagogical Sciences at the FHSS USB, visited the University of Sarajevo. This mobility took place within the ICM Erasmus+ project and built upon the stays of colleagues from Bosnia and Herzegovina at the FHSS USB in previous years.

Director Míková visited the Department of Physiotherapy at the Faculty of Health Sciences of the University of Sarajevo, while associate professor Adéla Mojžíšová visited the Department of Social Work at the Faculty of Political Sciences. "The mobility focused on teaching students in bachelor's and master's degree programmes, as well as discussions regarding deepening cooperation in the field of science, research, and publishing activities. We consider the connection of collaboration within credit mobility in the form of student exchanges to be highly beneficial," stated associate professor Mojžíšová and MUDr. Míková. They added that a total of eight students from the University of Sarajevo have visited the FHSS USB in the last two academic years. Six of them were from the Social Work programme and two from the Physiotherapy programme.

Four academic staff members from Nepal spent a week-long educational stay at the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, University of South Bohemia (FHSS USB) starting from May 15^th, where they enjoyed a rich programme filled with lectures and excursions. The visiting instructors work at Kathmandu University and Dhulikhel Hospital in Kathmandu, which form a unified entity. They delivered lectures to students from the General Nursing, Midwifery, and Physiotherapy study programmes. They also visited the hospital in České Budějovice and the spa town of Třeboň. "This is the final mobility within the Erasmus+ program - KA107 - credit mobility project 2020-2023," explained Ing. Jana Ředinová from the Office for International Relations at FHSS USB. Colleagues from FHSS USB visited Nepal last November as part of the same programme.

The field of General Nursing was represented by three women: Sulekha Shrestha, Subasna Shrestha, and Geeta Kamal Shrestha. They teach at the university and work at the hospital as Head Nurse, Senior Operating Room Nurse, and Midwife, respectively. Doc. PhDr. Marie Trešlová, Ph.D., from the Institute of Nursing, Midwifery, and Emergency Care said: "They visited us with specific goals – to improve the Midwifery study programme and to establish a sterilization department for the operating theatres in their hospital. That's why we organized a tour of the hospital in České Budějovice, where that department is at an excellent level."

She clarified that in Nepal midwifery is a one-year specialization within the field of general nursing. The aim is to make both professions independent, like the European education system. The Nepalese educators showed great interest in exploring the faculty’s Simulation Centre for Healthcare Disciplines. They were guided through the Centre by the Vice-Dean for International Relations and the Head of the Centre, Mgr. František Dolák, Ph.D. They were impressed, curious, and keen to try out various aspects. Govinda Mani, who lectures on physiotherapy, became familiar with a completely modern form of education at our faculty – the new classroom for simulation-based learning of anatomy and physiology. He delivered lectures to future physiotherapists, visited the Physiotherapy Centre, and explored the spa town of Třeboň, where our students undergo practical training.

Academic staff and students from the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences of the University of South Bohemia will participate in the XV International Nursing Symposium "Nursing in Interdisciplinary Healthcare“, which will take place from 21 to 22 September 2023 in Rzeszów, Poland. The symposium is jointly organized by the College of Medical Sciences of the University of Rzeszów (Poland), the University of South Bohemia in České Budejovice (Faculty of Health and Social Sciences), the Philosopher Constantine University in Nitra (Slovakia) and the University of Pécs (Hungary).

The scientific event demonstrates the increasing importance of healthcare workers in the healthcare system in response to the constantly growing social demands. The lectures in the individual thematic sessions will focus on research and strategies for developing nursing and public health, both globally and locally. The planned educational workshops will provide an opportunity to learn about the latest advances in modern medicine. It is also an excellent opportunity to exchange experiences and ideas and learn about the latest scientific advances in the health and medical sciences. The event will help strengthen the nursing profession's position in partner countries and create an environment conducive to the development of this professional group. The funding granted under the Visegrad Fund highlights the importance of nurses in ensuring universal access to healthcare for society.

Three educators from Canada spent the last week of April at our faculty, continuing the cooperation with York University in Toronto (specifically with the School of Social Work). This collaboration is part of the Erasmus+ Credit Mobility project at the Institute of Social and Special-paedagogical Sciences at FHSS USB.

Last year, a teaching mobility was held at York University, which was attended by doc. PhDr. Adéla Mojžíšová, Ph.D., from the above-mentioned institute, and Ing. Jana Ředinová from the Office of International Relations. One of our students, Kristýna Jiskrová, also completed her internship there.

This year, the roles were reversed, and experts from York University lectured on social work topics for bachelor and doctoral students of social work at our faculty. Discussions also took place regarding collaboration on scientific research and joint publishing activities with the project coordinator.

"In May and June, we will welcome a student from York University to the Institute, who will complete a two-month professional internship in the Czech Republic," said doc. Mojžíšová, who will travel to Canada in June as part of the teaching mobility along with Mgr. Jana Stejskalová, Ph.D., from the Institute of Social and Special-paedagogical Sciences. Although this project ends at the end of June 2023, doc. Mojžíšová hopes that the established collaboration will continue on an individual level among academic staff.

During their visit, the Canadian guests discussed the following topics with FHSS USB students:

Wilburn Hayden

The Significance of Societal Values, and Social Work Values, and Code of Ethics

Race and Anti-Black Racism from a Critical Race Theory (CRT) Perspective

Barbara Heron

Relations of Power in International Social Work in the Global South

Competency Standards in the Social Work Profession

Maurice Poon

 Teaching Sexuality in Social Work Using Queer Theory  

Vulnerability of HIV Infection among Ethno-Racial Immigrant Men Who Have Sex with Men (MSM) in Toronto