Turku and Fudan to Collaborate in Nursing Science and Information Technology
The University of Turku and Fudan University will begin planning their joint education in nursing science and information technology. Their aim is to collaborate in both education and research, as well as in the resulting innovation activities.
Dean Pentti Huovinen from the Faculty of Medicine and Professor Xia Haiou, Co-Dean of the School of Nursing at Fudan University, confirmed the collaboration with their signatures. The work will begin with joint study modules, and at the end of the year it will become clear how the collaboration will be integrated into the Master's programme.
According to Professor of Nursing Science Riitta Suhonen, the collaboration was born from previous successful cooperation. In the University of Turku, the Department of Nursing Science and the Department of Information Technology have cooperated for a long time. In addition, the Department of Information Technology in Turku has collaborated with Fudan University's School of Information Science and Technology as well.
– Fudan's School of Information Science and Technology presented the idea that we should involve their School of Nursing as well. Now the deans from both the School of Nursing at Fudan and our Faculty of Medicine have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU), and we will begin planning the collaboration, says Suhonen.
According to Suhonen, the collaboration between nursing science and information technology creates real development possibilities. For example, when developing new innovations, the process can include inventors, designers and end users all at the same time. This sort of multidisciplinary knowledge is needed when developing e.g. medical supplies.
The collaboration between the two countries and subjects will begin with joint study modules, and the joint Master's programme is being planned so that it will begin in the autumn of 2017 at the earliest. At the moment, the shape and form of the Master's programme is still being considered; possibilities include increasing collaboration in existing Master's programmes or creating a completely joint Master's programme, for example.
– Later, we could include Doctoral education as well, notes Suhonen.
Text: Erja Hyytiäinen
Photos: Antti Tarponen
Translation: Sam Parwar