In April, two educators from the partner Faculty of Health Sciences at the Pan-European University Apeiron (Bosnia and Herzegovina - Banja Luka) visited the FHSS USB. They were Doc. Dr. Sc. Med. Ilija V. Baroš, MD Ph.D. (teacher of preclinical subjects, especially anatomy) and Prof. Dr. Sc. Med. Jiljana-Tadić Latinović MD PhD (specializing in pathology and cytology). It was a teaching stay combined with training, financed by the Erasmus KA107 project 2020, which ends in June 2023. Doc. Baroš already visited our faculty in May of last year.

The programme was provided by colleagues from the Institute of Nursing, Midwifery and Emergency Care, the Institute of Physiotherapy and Selected Medical Disciplines, and the Institute of Laboratory Diagnostics and Public Health. The guests were accompanied by Mgr. Zlatana Midžić from the Institute of the Humanities in Helping Professions. They visited the laboratories, the simulation centre for healthcare professions. They were also excited about the new classroom for simulating anatomy and physiology. Then they went on excursions to the hospital in České Budějovice and to the Institute of Anatomy at the 3rd Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague, where they were received by RNDr. Zdeněk Musil. At the end of their visit, the teachers from Bosnia and Herzegovina praised their stay at the FHSS USB, saying that our faculty was a great inspiration to them. They were especially impressed by the teaching methods, modern teaching aids, and the close cooperation with the regional hospital. They expressed interest in collaborating on potential joint research projects.

The International Week of Social Work at the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences began at the start of the week, creating a very friendly and pleasant atmosphere. The event took place for the entire week until April 21^st and involved nearly 80 international students and teachers from European schools who prepare future social workers and cooperate with our faculty. In the spring of each year, one of the partner universities hosts the event, and this year, academic staff and students from Germany, Belgium, Spain, Norway, Finland, France, and Austria came to our school. The last time International Week of Social Work took place at the FHSS USB was in 2019.

In a packed hall A on Monday morning, the Faculty Dean, Ivana Chloubová, and the Vice-Dean for International Relations, František Dolák, welcomed the participants. They emphasized the significance of the event for our faculty and wished them a successful stay full of experiences, new contacts, and enriching discussions during workshops, excursions, and lectures. They also thanked the team of organizers from the Institute of Social and Special Pedagogical Sciences who were responsible for this large and demanding event. The team prepared a rich and diverse programme, providing guests with a comprehensive understanding of social work in our country.

The event is part of the SocNet98 project, and during the week, participants enjoyed a series of workshops and excursions to places related to their profession and which can inspire their approach to clients: St. Veronica's Home Hospice, Máj and Hvízdal care homes for seniors, and the ARPIDA Centre (which offers assistance to families caring for children, adolescents, and adults with physical and combined disabilities.) On Monday, there was also a welcome party on the university campus and a trip to Hluboká nad Vltavou.

Jitka Vacková, Ph.D., the Director of the Institute of Social and Special Pedagogical Sciences, said: "We have been involved in this network since its very beginning in 1998, more than 20 years ago. Since then, it has significantly expanded and created a platform for the exchange of students and teachers. It allows for the exchange of social work knowledge and reflects the challenges of the International Federation of Social Workers, which issues topics that are highly relevant at this time. Therefore, with the war in Ukraine and migration issues, we focused on a topic that would broadly reflect the diversity of social work."  She added that during the excursions, guests would visit our faculty’s clinical facilities to give them an accurate picture of social work in the Czech Republic.

By meeting foreign colleagues at the event, social science students had the opportunity to compare social care in our country and abroad. They also improved their language skills, made contacts, and increased their confidence in informal debates; so that they too are ready to go abroad for experience.

The visit was part of a joint international project titled "Automated External Defibrillators Save Lives." The lecturers from Tartu Health Care College (THCC) spent a week at the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences of the USB from March 21st to 25th. The main goal was to increase the knowledge and practical skills of adults living in rural areas of Estonia and the Czech Republic in the use of AEDs and first aid. "We prepared a programme for the Estonian lecturers, along with colleagues from the Institute of nursing, midwifery, and emergency care, that corresponded to the purpose of their visit," said vice-dean for foreign affairs, Mgr. František Dolák, Ph.D., who is leading the project for the FHSS USB. On the first day, the guests met with Filip Maleňák, the author of the mobile application "Záchranka". This was followed by tours of the Medical Operations Centre of the South Bohemian Emergency Medical Services (ZZS JčK) and the Air Medical Rescue Service. On the last day, the lecturers visited the village of Třebín in České Budějovice region, where local residents purchased an automated external defibrillator themselves.

On Tuesday, a lecture was held in the packed lecture hall A, presented by Doc. Ing. Jan Těšitel, CSc., who was instrumental in initiating cooperation between our faculty and Kathmandu University. An agricultural engineer by profession, he has worked in Nepal intermittently for a total of eight years since 2011, focusing on four water projects. Thanks to his and his colleagues' contacts there, he also gave impetus to the development of cooperation between the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences of the University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice and Kathmandu University. Since 2015, our faculty has sent many students there; first those specializing in nursing and later students of physiotherapy. The existing cooperation agreement with our faculty was extended last November in Kathmandu, so the trips can continue.

The Dean of the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences of the University of South Bohemia, Mgr. Ivana Chloubová, Ph.D., who welcomed Doc. Těšitel at the beginning of the lecture, confirmed that this was an extremely interesting opportunity to gain professional experience, get to know another culture, and compare value systems. She has fresh experience of the country, having visited it in mid-November last year with representatives of the Institute of Nursing, Midwifery, and Emergency Care of the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences of the University of South Bohemia, Mgr. František Dolák, Ph.D., and Doc. PhDr. Marie Trešlová, Ph.D. In Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, the dean signed a memorandum of cooperation with the dean of the School of Medical Sciences.

"I firmly believe that Doc. Těšitel's presentation will inspire you to go on future trips to Nepal. If someone asks me what Nepal is like, I say - different. It is different from what we are used to in our civilization. It is hard to describe Nepal, you just have to experience it. I was very pleasantly surprised by the locals' friendliness and their deep inner calm," the dean told an audience predominantly composed of students.

Doc. Těšitel emphasized that he had never been to this country as a tourist but always as a scientist and member of a team of hydrogeologists. This allowed him to learn more about the mentality of the locals and their daily lives. At first, they focused on wells, then on flood protection strategies, and the fourth project was devoted to wastewater treatment using root cleaning systems. He then summarized: "I also dealt with how likely our European technologies were to be applied there. It depends on whether this technology is close to their cultural climate - if not, it will end, even if it is necessary. For example, we encountered non-existent legislation or other hygiene standards."

He based his presentation on photographs that vividly depicted the everyday life, architecture, landscape, and environment of the city and slums. Some of these had been recently exhibited in the main building of our faculty, and during the lecture, participants in the hall were able to view them. Doc. Těšitel also had several practical tips for students planning to travel to Nepal, and tried to briefly express what fascinated him most about the country and its people: "It’s their resilience, how they get out of the difficulties that come their way, solidarity, friendliness, willingness... We in Europe are captives of linear time and are always planning, while time flows more slowly there, but eventually, everything important gets done. They are spiritually elevated and have no ambition to assert themselves, so we did not encounter any aggression. Even the frequent honking of drivers is just an indication that I am driving, not an order to 'get out of the way..."

Our students who want to travel to Dhulikhel Hospital in Kathmandu must first pass an interview at our faculty. When they succeed, they usually go there for a two-month professional internship, which they complete at the hospital. Like most Europeans, many of them initially experience culture shock in Nepal. However, if they change their perspective and remain receptive, they will return more enriched. Although the medical equipment in Nepal is not always as high-quality as ours, caring for patients and the way of life in this country teaches students the importance of these qualities: humanity, empathy, and patience. Many Europeans fundamentally rearrange their hierarchy of values ​​there.

Community care, which is highly developed in Asian countries, goes hand in hand with professional medical care. The work of healthcare personnel differs in many respects, and the role of family and loved ones in patient care is crucial. This was confirmed by Dean Dr. Chloubová, who, during her recent visit to Dhulikhel Hospital, met many relatives who were prepared to take care of their loved ones in the hospital, even if this meant sleeping on a mat under their bed at night.

Educators from the Institute of Nursing, Midwifery and Emergency Care (INMEC) of the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences of the University of South Bohemia, headed by the dean of the faculty Mgr. Ivana Chloubová, Ph.D., and the director of this institute, prof. PhDr. Valéria Tóthová, Ph.D., have visited the partner university Wolfson Academic Nursing School (WANS) in Tel Aviv. WANS was established by the Israeli Ministry of Health in 1974 at Wolfson Medical Center as an independent public school. In 1992, WANS was affiliated with Tel Aviv University and became part of it. The objectives of WANS are in line with the Ministry of Health's intention to reduce health inequalities. Unique bachelor's degree programmes have been opened in nursing that encourage a culturally diverse population; a large proportion of the students are immigrants. WANS is a dynamically developing institution that is expanding its network of international contacts.

Prof. Tóthová, vice dean for science and research and director of the INMEC FHSS USB explained: "WANS is an important partner in terms of deepening the concept of transcultural nursing in our teaching, because in Israel they have rich experience in nursing – and not only in terms of providing culturally respectful care". Since 2013, Professor Tóthová has been collaborating with Dr. Sara Nissim within the European Association of Transcultural Nursing. Along with Dr. Sara Nissim, who was director of WANS until 2020, they prepared a credit mobility project in 2019.

They have significant experience with the education of nurses from different cultural backgrounds. Israel has an immensely rich culture due to the diversity of its population; all arrivals have brought their cultural and religious customs with them. Much like the USA, Israel has become a kind of melting pot of customs and beliefs. Therefore, the study programs at WANS logically reflect the concept of culturally-differentiated care.

The group of INMEC teachers were warmly welcomed by members of the Wolfson Academic Nursing School. The aim of the meeting was to mutually familiarize attendees with the current educational system of nurses in the Czech Republic and Israel. The possibilities of strengthening joint scientific research cooperation were also discussed. In addition to professional lectures, the teachers of our faculty presented our conditions for obtaining professional qualifications within the general and paediatric nursing and midwifery programmes. They also presented individual study and educational programmes of lifelong learning. The programme included a visit to the simulation centre and the virtual reality centre, where INMEC teachers had the opportunity to experience prepared scenarios. The use of virtual reality represents a significant shift in nursing education, allowing students to acquire and master skills before entering clinical practice.

Another part of the programme was a gathering with the representatives of the Wolfson Medical Center (WMC). The FHSS USB representatives were received by the director of nursing, Orna Zvi, and the manager of human resources in nursing, Eti Kitri. The hospital representatives talked about the strategy and future visions for the hospital. Part of the programme was a discussion about innovations and research activities with Soshi Fridman. Other activities were presented by a representative of mentors from the internal department of WMC. He presented how mentoring of nursing students takes place and what, for example, are the most complicated and unpleasant situations of the entire mentoring process. At this meeting, the implementation of mentoring at the clinical workplaces of the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences of the University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice was also presented.

Dr. Sara Nissim also facilitated a meeting with the dean of the Faculty of Social and Community Science, Professor Eyal Gamliel, and the head of the Department of Nursing, Dr. Keren Grinberg from another Israeli higher education institution; the Rupin Academic Center in the city of Kfar Monash. Members of the management of both faculties presented the structure of their faculties, study programmes, and research activities. The dean of the FHSS USB, dr. Chloubová, said: "This new faculty is very interested in mutual cooperation in the field of nursing. There are significant possibilities for developing cooperation in both pedagogical and research activities."

Another part of the programme was a visit to the Intercultural Center in Jerusalem. Here, a discussion took place about the current situation in Jerusalem and its surroundings – in relation to the diversity of multicultural and religious society.

The Institute of Nursing, Midwifery and Emergency Care of the FHSS USB together with the Estonian Tartu Health Care College (THCC) gained an international project on the topic ‘Automated external defibrillators save lives’. The project was submitted as part of the Erasmus + programme, aimed at supporting education, vocational training, youth, and sports in Europe.

Automated external defibrillators (AED) are devices intended for lay resuscitation, they deliver an electric shock to the affected heart (so-called defibrillation). The AED is capable of automatically distinguishing between shockable and non-shockable rhythms. A layperson is guided by loud spoken instructions.

The project manager for the FHSS USB is Mgr. František Dolák, Ph.D. He stated that the main goal is to increase the knowledge and practical skills (use of AED and first aid) of adults who live in rural areas of Estonia and the Czech Republic. Dr. Dolák explained: "The Záchranka mobile application is used in the Czech Republic and this gateway offers a comprehensive database of all publicly available defibrillators in the Czech Republic. Therefore, we can offer experience with these devices and education to the general public."

The project will also include study trips between the participating countries to exchange experiences and discover the conditions that characterize the use of the above-mentioned devices. The target groups of the study tours are teachers and employees of the partner organization. There is a strong need to exchange knowledge on first aid and the use of AEDs. THCC would like to focus more on the use of AEDs in rural areas and organize various campaigns to introduce the use of AEDs to citizens.

In mid-November, a group of teachers from the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences (FHSS) visited the university in Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal. Faculty dean, Mgr. Ivana Chloubová, PhD, signed a memorandum of cooperation with the dean of the School of Medical Sciences at the beginning of this work trip. The trip further bolstered our faculty's relationship with this university that began in 2015. Sulekha Shrestha from Dhulikhel Hospital (a clinical work site and leading partner of the Kathmandu University School of Medical Sciences) has been there since the beginning.

The receiving institution prepared a programme for representatives of the Institute of Nursing, Midwifery, and Emergency Care. The aim was to present the local system of educating nurses and to deepen the cooperation between the two faculties. On the first day, the visitors met the management of the faculty and the Dhulikhel Hospital. The second day included a tour of the local Simulation Centre and a meeting with the students who use it. Deputy director of the Institute of Nursing, Midwifery and Emergency Care, Mgr. František Dolák, PhD, explained: "On this day, we held a lesson focused on the benefits and possibilities of simulation teaching. The participants were third-year General Nursing students. The next day, the members of the nursing department had a meeting. They introduced the concepts of the field of Nursing in both countries and the education system. This discussion compared the education systems in both countries."

Associate Prof. PhDr Marie Trešlová, PhD, gave a lecture on the subject of Communication in Nursing for first-year nursing students. The head nurse of the Dhulikhel Hospital requested a lecture on acute and intensive care, prepared and delivered by Dr Dolák. The same group listened to a lecture by Associate Prof. Trešlová on the Specifics of Communication in Nursing. On the last day, first-year students attended a lecture on the History of Nursing in the Czech lands and Present-Day nursing in the Czech Republic.

The trip helped to evaluate the preparedness of the workplaces for our students' professional internships and specify the requirements. It showed our colleagues which professional knowledge and skills the incoming students should learn or practice in hospital departments. Ing. Jana Ředinová, from the Foreign Affairs Office, indicated that the first memorandum of cooperation between the two faculties was signed in 2015. Since then, the FHSS has sent two or three Nursing students to Dhulikhel Hospital annually. In 2018, the cooperation was expanded to include the Institute of Physiotherapy. Currently, two Nursing students and two Physiotherapy students annually go to Nepal.

The International Council of FHSS, the dean's independent advisory and evaluation body, held a meeting from Wednesday, November 30 to Friday, December 2. The Dean, Mgr. Ivana Chloubová, PhD, appointed the members of the body on April 1, 2022. This was their first meeting and introduction to the faculty.

The International Council of the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences of the University of South Bohemia is composed of five respected international experts in science, research, and innovation. They are focused on health, social, and safety fields:

Prof. Dr Habil. József Betlehem, PhD, vice-rector of the University of Pécs, Hungary, Head of the Institute of Emergency Care and Pedagogy of Health

Prof. Dr Phil. Astrid Hübner, University of Applied Sciences, Emden, Germany, Faculty of Social Work and Health, Director of the Faculty's International Programme

Professor Majda Pajnkihar, PhD, RN, FAAN, EANS, University of Maribor, Slovenia, Faculty of Health Sciences, Director of the Institute of Nursing

Professor Matthias Port, Institute of Radiobiology of the German Armed Forces (Bundeswehr) affiliated with the University of Ulm, Munich, Germany, Director of the Institute of Radiobiology

Professor John Stephen Gary Wells, Waterford Institute of Technology, Ireland, Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences

The establishment of the International Council of FHSS is related to the University of South Bohemia's crucial international award in human resources management (it received the HR Award in 2019). This is a prestigious award of the European Committee for excellent care of human resources in a scientific environment. The International USB Council was then created and held its first meeting this September with Prof. József Bethlehem, PhD, as its member. During the three-day conference, the members of the International Council of FHSS met with members of the faculty management and the directors of all institutes and other colleagues. In the individual presentations, they received information about the faculty's activities regarding studies, science and research, internationalisation, and activities for the public. "The goal of this meeting is for the International Council to better know the functioning of our faculty and map out its activities," said Dean Dr Chloubová. On Thursday afternoon, the guests visited the FHSS building at U Výstaviště Street, where they received a presentation on the activities of the Institute of Nursing, Midwifery and Emergency Care, and the Simulation Center for Health Sciences.

The International Council of the FHSS deals with conceptual developmental issues and evaluates the professional level of FHSS. It assesses the quality of scientific strategy and outputs from an international point of view and provides recommendations and ideas to improve the quality of the faculty's activities. If necessary, the Council recommends approving the Long-term development plan of FHSS (Strategic Plan for Educational and Creative Activities, Strategic Plan Implementation).

"The implementation of the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences International Council's 1st meeting was supported by the European Structural and Investment Funds, specifically within the project USB Development - Capacities for R&D II, reg. No. CZ.02.2.69/0.0/0.0/18_054/0014638 from the Operational Program titled Research, Development and Education."

On Wednesday afternoon, the sharing of experiences from studying social work at FHSS, examples of good practice and authentic experiences from studying, training, and stays abroad filled lecture hall B. Current exchange students at our faculty and one of our students who joined online from Canada presented their experiences. The presentations took place as part of the ICM Erasmus+ programme, an international credit mobility project at the Institute of Social and Special-paedagogical Sciences.

"The goal of this event is to receive feedback from foreign students and our student abroad, as well as to motivate our other social work students to travel to these partner foreign universities," explained Assoc. Prof. PhDr Adéla Mojžíšová, PhD, from the Institute of Social and Special-paedagogical Sciences, who organised the programme.

She added that this winter semester, thanks to the ICM project, there are four students from Bosnia and Herzegovina and one from Albania at the Institute of Social and Special-paedagogical Sciences. There is also one student from FHSS in Canada. The ICM project lasts until June 2023.

Prof. Dr Friedo Zölzer, DSc., Vice-Dean for Foreign Affairs at FHSS, spoke to the participants. The exchange students then talked about their professional and personal experiences in the Czech Republic. They informed our students about how social work was studied in their country, and it was interesting to compare different systems.

The following students participated:

Cvijanović Davor, Bosnia and Herzegovina, University of Sarajevo

Omerbegović Alma, Bosnia and Herzegovina, University of Sarajevo

Šorlija Nahla, Bosnia and Herzegovina, University of Sarajevo

Demir Aldino, Bosnia and Herzegovina, University of Sarajevo

Kateřina Jiskrov, Social Work BA Study Programme at FHSS

Gjonaj Adrian, Albania, Barleti University

Students can find more information at usblife.cz (e.g., exchange students' blogs).

A nine-member group of teachers from Wolfson Academic Nursing School (WANS) in Israel spent a week at the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences USB. Colleagues from the Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Urgent Care of the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences USB presented the focus of our faculty and its research activities to them. They also guided the guests through the Simulation Centre for Health Professions, and accompanied them to České Budějovice hospital, which closely cooperates with our faculty. The visitors stayed from Monday to Friday. Upon departure, they expressed their gratitude and outlined some of their plans inspired by the visit.

The meeting took place as part of international credit mobility, which belongs to the Erasmus+ programme and is aimed at strengthening scientific research cooperation. The Vice Dean for Science and Research, Prof. Valérie Tóthová, Ph.D., the Director of the Institute of Nursing, Midwifery and Emergency Care of the FHSS USB said:  "We see great possibilities in joint research projects with WANS, which could also lead to interesting publications." Since 2013, Prof. Tóthová has been collaborating with the former Director of WANS, Dr. Sara Nissi, within the European Association of Transcultural Nursing. They have also collaborated on an international research project, the results of which have been published in IF journals.

Wolfson Academic Nursing School was established in 1974 at Wolfson Medical Center as an independent public school established by the Ministry of Health of Israel. In 1992, WANS was affiliated with Tel Aviv University. The objectives of WANS are in line with the goal of Israel’s Ministry of Health to reduce health inequalities. It has launched unique programmes in nursing that reflect the cultural diversity of the local population (a large proportion of the students there are immigrants). WANS is an important partner in deepening the concept of transcultural nursing. Israel has vast experience in nursing, not only in providing culturally sensitive care (aspects our faculty experts have been researching for a long time), but also in educating nurses from different cultural backgrounds.

Due to the diversity of its population, Israel has an extremely rich culture: all newcomers to Israel bring their own cultural and religious practices with them, so Israel has become a kind of melting pot of customs and beliefs, like the United States. The curriculum at WANS logically includes more of a focus on the concept of culturally differentiated care. All this challenges the colleagues at the Department of Nursing, Midwifery, and Emergency Care with incentives to collaborate on various topics addressed by our faculty. At the end of January, nine teachers from the FHSS USB will be discussing specific ways to develop further collaboration with their colleagues from WANS during their visit to Israel.

The Israeli colleagues will now elaborate on their findings from their first visit to České Budějovice, and at the next meeting, they will suggest topics that can be further elaborated together. As Professor Tóthová explained: "The aim is to develop transcultural nursing, because Israel has culturally competent care at a very high level, and they achieve excellent results in this area. But like us, they also focus on preventive activities, so we have a lot of common research topics."

Sara Nissim, PhD, MA, BSN, RN, concluded by thanking everyone for a wonderful stay filled with a lot of information, experience, and pleasant meetings. She expressed her special thanks to Prof. Tóthová and the Dean of the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences USB, Dr. Chloubová, for creating the conditions to deepen this mutually inspiring cooperation. "Our personal relations with Prof. Tóthová have developed over time into very fruitful professional contacts,” she said. “Israel and the Czech Republic have much in common, so I believe this project will continue in the form of student and faculty exchanges, research collaborations, and that we will attract other institutions to further our goals. It is important that we already know each other, like each other, and have a common interest."

From October 29 to November 12, 2022, Prof. PhDr. Valérie Tóthová, PhD, Vice Dean for Science and Research and head of the Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Emergency Care at the Faculty of Health and Social sciences (FHSS), attended the study exchange program at the Ohio State University's College of Nursing. She was able to work intensively with the prominent personalities of American nursing for two weeks. The College of Nursing at the Ohio State University was founded in 1914 and has experienced changes caused by the development of American nursing and education in the field. Currently, the College offers excellent educational programs, conducts top-notch research, and runs important centers, such as the Center for Evidence-based Practice and the Center for Healthcare Innovation and Leadership. All students are taught and guided to innovate, have a vision, implement, be focused on wellness and work using the best evidence as lifelong learners.

This internship continues the already-established cooperation. Professor Susan O'Hara, PhD, MPH, RN, visited FHSS in June this year. Professor Tóthová offered her a rich professional program. She could learn about our study programs and compare the differences in the education and competences of nurses in the Czech Republic and the USA and discuss with experts, heads of departments and study program guarantors. The Vice Dean for Academic Affairs and Innovations in Education, Professor Cindy Anderson, PhD, RN, APRN-CNP, ANEF, FAHA, FNAP, FAAN, enlightened her how the degree programs were adapted to the needs of society, i.e., the healthcare system. She spoke about research focus and funding at the College of Nursing and national nursing research funding with the Vice Dean for Research and Innovation, Professor Mary Beth Happ, PhD, RN, FAAN, FGSA. In addition, the faculty has a crucial wellness strategy. Professor Sharon Tucker, PhD, APRN-CNS, NC-BC, FNAP, FAAN, is the Vice Dean for Health Promotion and Well-being. The faculty directs preventive activities towards the public and oversees its employees' and students' health. Professor Tóthová discussed the College's research on health prevention. "I presented our research projects to the Vice Dean in detail. We focus on prevention and strive to strengthen society's awareness of health and its necessity for a happy life".

The professional program also included a three-day course focused on evidence-based practice. The course was conducted in cooperation with the "Helene Fuld Health Trust National Institute for Evidence-based Practice in Nursing and Healthcare" for Evidence-based Practice teachers. Completing the course was a fantastic experience for Professor Tóthová and Dr Martin Červený, ​​who began his month-long internship at the College of Nursing as a nursing doctoral program student. Professor Bernadette Mazurek Melnyk, PhD, APRN-CNP, EBP-C, FAANP, FNAP, FAAN, the the center founder and the current College of Nursing Dean, gave the introductory lecture. "I never expected to meet her in person. I have been using her books to teach Evidence-based Nursing for about ten years," says Professor Tóthová. Professor Melnyk is nationally and globally recognized for her clinical knowledge and innovative approaches to various health problems. She is a worldwide consultant for healthcare facilities and universities on improving the quality of care by implementing and maintaining evidence-based practice. "The Dean and I discussed other possibilities for cooperation in nursing. I am very pleased that, despite her busy schedule, she is very open to the further development of cooperation," adds Professor Tóthová.

Professor Tóthová and Professor Dianne Morrison-Bedy, PhD, RN, FNAP, FAANP, FAAN, Director of Talent and Global Strategy, discussed cooperation in ​​strengthening and improving the quality of research in Czech nursing. Professor Morrison-Bedy has received several research awards, and her research funding has exceeded $12 million. "I am thrilled that Professor Morrison-Bedy is coming to our faculty next October. She will be staying for three weeks as a Fulbright specialist. We have already discussed her program in detail. Her internship will be beneficial for our research in the field," says Professor Tóthová.  Prof. Morrison-Bedy is also supervising Dr Červený, and guarantees his objectives will be met.

Prof. Susan O'Hara, PhD, MPH, RN, BA, EDAC, FNIHD, and Prof. Michael Ackerman, PhD, RN, FCCM, FNAP, FAANP, FAAN, detailed the "Master of Healthcare Innovation Program" and the Center for Innovation. The Center aims to join innovation, business, education, practice, and research leaders to collaborate on ideas, projects and knowledge and improve population health and well-being. "The Center showed us the creation of the new and the innovative in a short period. They spontaneously made a souvenir writing "Ohi" in an Ohio-shaped object and replacing the letter "O" with our Faculty logo. It was a confirmation of our cooperation," says Professor Tóthová. Each of her work trips has included a visit to a medical facility. The University Hospital is significant with its research centers. "The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center" was presented in detail, especially the organization and nursing care system.

In conclusion, Professor Tóthová said: "My internship at The Ohio State University's College of Nursing was very beneficial. I have gained new information, knowledge and experience, and mainly other ideas, which I will detail to my colleagues at the institute. Cooperation with such an excellent institution open to cooperating with us can only contribute to the further development of nursing at our Faculty. I want to thank our University and Faculty for the financial support I have received. I would also like to thank Professor Morrison-Bedy for the financial support from her University as well." Prof. Tóthová's internship was financed by the project "Development of JU - Capacity for R&D II No.: CZ.02.2.69/0.0/0.0/18_054/0014638".

Teachers from the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences USB completed a study trip to Albania from October 23 to 29. The trip was a conclusion of long-standing cooperation of the head of the Institute of Social and  Special-pedagogical Sciences (USV) of the FHSS USB  doc. Mgr. et Mgr. Jitka Vacková, Ph.D. with Albanian partners mainly from the field of social work. The other delegates were Ing. Radka Prokešová, Ph.D. from the Institute of Humanities in Helping Professions and PhDr. Lenka Motlová, Ph.D. together with PhDr. Salim Murad, Ph.D. from the Institute of Social and Special-pedagogical Sciences.

The cooperation of both schools originates in 2017 at Clemson University, South Carolina, USA. Albania and the Czech Republic have similar historical experience which opens a variety of topics for our teachers and students. The representatives of the FHSS USB have attended a comprehensive Erasmus+ study programme which included lectures of all participants at the partner university and examples of good practice concerning their research and practice. The team of the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences received a warm welcome at Barleti University and the attention of its representatives. They attended two meetings with the rector of the university Prof. Suzana Guxholli, an internationally known economist. She thought back on her experience with Czech environment that she gained thanks to her teacher Jan Švejnar.

One of the achievements in Tirana were talks at Tirana University, public and the biggest university in Albania. Our colleagues established cooperation with the Faculty of Social Sciences which focuses on social work, among other things. The delegation from the University of south Bohemia was received by the dean of the faculty Prof. Dr. Edmond Rapti and vice-dean Prof. Asoc. Dr. Rudina Rama. Our teachers had an opportunity to talk to the crowded auditorium of the Faculty of Social Sciences of Tirana University where they presented the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences USB and the possibilities for Tirana University students to study the master´s degree programme called European Master in Migration and Intercultural Relations whose Czech branch is provided by the University of South Bohemia (www.emmir.org).

Besides the programme on the academic grounds of both universities, it was also important to get familiar with the functioning of institutions such as the Community Centre in Tirana, and last but not least, an insight into Albanian history in the House of Leaves museum where the participants discussed modern Albanian history. Dr. Murad said: “The programme was inspiring in many aspects and the interest of Albanian students and academics is promising for further development of cooperation.”

As part of credit mobility, a group of eight guests from Barleti University in Tirana, Albania, spent last week at the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences of the University of South Bohemia (USB). They visited the Department of Physical Education and Sports, as well as the Department of Psychology of the Faculty of Education. At the rectorate of the USB, the Albanian colleagues were received by the rector, Professor Bohumil Jiroušek, and vice-rector for foreign relations, Assoc. Prof. Radka Závodská. Two Albanian teachers, Assoc. Prof. Dr Erika Melonashi and Lejda Abazi, PhD., came to České Budějovice to teach and present their paper at a conference on autism organised by the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences on Monday, October 10. Four administrative staff members completed training focusing on internationalisation and the Erasmus+ programme. The group also included Artan Shytaj, vice-rector for academic affairs of Barleti University, and head of the sports department Artan Pogony.

Head of the Institute of Social and Special-paedagogical Sciences FHSS USB Assoc. Prof. Jitka Vacková sees Albania as a country that is full of stimuli for fields related to social work. "Albania is historically close to the Czech Republic,” she said. “Both belong to Eastern Europe, which has several common features, yet very diverse experiences. Albania has been experiencing migration for a long time, which is a beneficial topic for us regarding the current situation. They have different methods of financing social work to here, which can inspire us." The vice-dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, Tourism and Sports of Barleti University, Erika Melonashi, described the focus of the Health and Social Faculty (which connects the health and social fields) as a perfect combination. She is a psychologist and examines health from three perspectives - social, medical, and psychological. She deals with the effect that personality types have on health, including the course of covid-19.

The collaboration between the two schools began in 2017 in the USA at Clemson University in South Carolina while preparing collaborative teaching for students of the doctoral study programme. "Developing social work in the new Albanian society shows historical and developmental similarities of origin, which are also evident in the Czech Republic. That's what makes this cooperation more important," said Assoc. Prof. Vacková. The interruption of the field's historical development by the communist regime means that there is an enormous need for the methodological anchoring of the field as a scientific discipline, including the development of social work methods and techniques that graduates can use in practice.

Students of the FHSS USB, their teachers, and representatives of the faculty and the University of South Bohemia were in raptures and had a reason to celebrate. Three teams of our faculty scored very high in the 7th year of the South Bohemian Nurse 2022 competition, which took place in Jindřichův Hradec hospital. The results were announced in the evening in Střelnice cultural centre where our faculty received a well-deserved ovation. The winner in the first competition category intended for students of the third year of tertiary education was team No. 1 led by captain Miroslava Koldová (General nursing) and defended our faculty´s last year's title. Other members of the team were Michaela Kováčová (General nursing), Klára Oklešt'ková (Midwifery) and Jakub Prokop (Medical emergency services). The winning team received the title of the absolute winner of the South Bohemian Nurse competition at the end of the gala evening. Other teams of the FHSS USB took second and fourth place this year.

In total, 17 teams competed in 17 disciplines until the afternoon to master the tasks at each station. Saturday evening brought a well-deserved celebration of their success in the competition, and of health professions in general. The competition disciplines were prepared to match the professional and practical training that the students receive at school. The aim was to show how they could cope with blood collection, resuscitation, treatment of a new-born, bed preparation, administration of blood derivatives or even catheterisation. Miroslava Koldová, captain of the winning team said: “We have a great simulation centre in our school where we can try out a lot of things. We trained there. I think we are well prepared from school and practice. Moreover, we are a great team of two general nurses, a midwife, and a paramedic.” She added that her team was only three points short of the maximum 170 points.

Among the first congratulators in Jindřichův Hradec were the Dean of the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences of the University of South Bohemia Ivana Chloubová and the Rector of the University of South Bohemia Bohumil Jiroušek, who emphasized the importance of our faculty focused on helping professions. Prof. PhDr.Bohumil Jiroušek, Dr. said: “The mission of the University of South Bohemia is wide-ranging and includes service to the region. Of course, we want to do world-class science, but at the same time we want to be of service to our region. Thanks to our many faculties, we manage to combine this. I appreciate the fact that such a competition exists at all - and the fact that the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences defended its absolute victory from last year is a testimony to the quality of our students and their teachers, who once again managed to prepare them so well.”

Yet before the start of the competition on Saturday morning, dean Mgr. Ivana Chloubová, Ph.D. spoke about the power of teamwork, which is crucial in the medical field. Unlike in previous years, this year our teams comprised of students from different fields, so not everyone knew each other before. Nevertheless, they managed to match each other well and divided the roles. After the results were announced, the dean was very proud of all the team members and thanked them for representing the faculty and the university so well. “This competition once again showed the quality of our education and I feel that the participants in the tertiary education category can see our students as role models,” she said, referring also to her current experience of teaching in the first year of the General Nursing programme. She noted that some of the freshmen had already participated in the South Bohemian Nurse Competition as secondary school students who had noticed how successful the representatives of our faculty tend to be.

An international symposium on the ethics of environmental health was held on the University of South Bohemia campus from Sunday 11 to Tuesday 13 September. The fifth edition of this event, which has become a tradition since 2011, brought together experts from 15 countries. They discussed moral principles and values that play a role in addressing environmental factors affecting human health. The main organizer was Prof. Dr.rer.nat. Friedo Zölzer, DSc., professor of environmental sciences at the Department of Radiology, Toxicology and Population Protection of the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences of JU and vice-dean for international relations of this faculty.

The last such event was held in 2018, also in České Budějovice. Now, it brought together 25 participants who, during their meeting in the premises of the Academic Library, looked at important topics related to the development of civilization from a different angle than usual. "There was not much discussion about exactly how high the health risks are, but rather about how to assess these risks from the point of view of the population exposed to them," said Prof. Zölzer. For example, the participants addressed questions such as: how can the different risks - radiation, toxic and others - be compared? How can they be communicated to people in a way that is understandable, transparent, and yet does not cause panic? What do people need to decide for themselves whether they want to work or live in a given environment, and how to organise participatory decision-making processes?

Experts from Canada, the USA, Japan, Ireland, Norway, Spain and other European countries came to the symposium in České Budějovice. The language of the meeting was English. Details of the event are available at www.iseeh.org.

The International Staff Week realized at our faculty concluded on Friday, August 26.  It focused on the instruction of professional subjects using the simulation method in the Nursing study programme. 34 pedagogues from 13 European countries and Turkey gathered at the FHSS USB building in U Výstaviště Street, other foreign participants joined online. The event was an inspiring experience and an opportunity for all participants to meet new colleagues, including those from the organizing Institute of Nursing, Midwifery, and Emergency Care. We also noticed great interest from journalists, who made interviews and reports during the sessions.

The main organizers of the International Staff Week were doc. PhDr. Marie Trešlová, Ph.D., and head of the Simulation Centre Mgr. František Dolák, Ph.D. Both stated that the event met their expectations and enriched the participants with new stimuli and experiences. Associate Professor Trešlová said: "During the discussions throughout the week, we focused on the main priorities in simulation teaching, the issues that teachers face, and on possible future improvement of the quality of simulation teaching. We will send a proposal to the management of the home universities of the participants to inform them about our intention to collaborate on research into simulation from the perspective of students and teachers."

The participants also agreed to create a common and continuously updated "database" of scenarios intended for simulation teaching. They are also planning to organize exchange of students and teachers as part of the Erasmus programme and other "summer schools" similar to the one that was held at the FHSS USB. The aim is to create a project based on the Erasmus programme which will enable cooperation of several countries and help to integrate simulation into practical teaching, strengthening communication, and teamwork in a new environment.

In addition, the meeting in České Budějovice, whose participants were also specialists in the technical side of simulation, brought up some practical ideas, for example, how to set the models and camera positions most appropriately. There was also a lot of talk about virtual reality, which represents the course of development of this teaching method in the future. Some participants of the International Staff Week already had experience with virtual reality which can be used to provide students an opportunity to use devices that are usually unavailable to faculty simulation centres. Foreign guests appreciated the high standard of the FHSS USB Simulation Centre and that it enables a high quality instruction. However, the rapid development in this field brings additional possibilities, challenges and demands. Teachers from the University of Rzeszów in Poland shared their experience with an even newer simulation centre than ours.

Doctor Dolák explained: "The meeting helped us to realize that we all have the same problems and deal with basically the same things. For example, how students feel when they are working in a simulation centre, how to include simulation teaching in the curriculum and in practical teaching, and finally, the motivation of teachers to use these technologies because simulation teaching requires a completely new approach and motivating teachers may be quite challenging". Such teaching requires to pre-programme lots of different situations that students must deal with. These scenarios became an important part of the programme of the International Staff Week. Experts analysed several scenarios in terms of content and form. They agreed that they need specific scenarios "tailored" to the given environment and the rules that apply in specific countries. The head of the Simulation Centre of the FHSS USB summed up: "Some companies operating in this field also offer universal standardized scenarios. Instead, we need specific scenarios because of the diversity of competences that differ in individual countries. In some countries, nurses perform procedures that are not part of their competence in others. This discussion was very beneficial for us and for all the participants."

TV report HERE: