Closing Event of Intensive Research Programme between Schools of Nursing, University of Sao Paulo and FHMS, Surrey
Tuesday 24 July 2012
On July 13, Anne Milton, Member of Parliament for Guildford and Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Public Health, gave the keynote address at the closing ceremony of a cross-cultural research programme hosted by the School of Health and Social Care, FHMS.
Twenty-six nurse faculty members and PhD students from the two Schools of Nursing at the University of São Paulo (USP) took part in the two-week programme. They were joined by Surrey academics and post-graduate students. The programme was developed under the auspices of the University Global Partnership Network (UGPN). The aim of the UGPN is to enable academics and students from some of the world’s top universities to collaborate on topics of global importance.
The aims of the USP/Surrey programme were to:
• Engage in a cross-cultural dialogue in order to develop collaboration and advance nursing research, practice and education in the UK and Brazil;
• Involve different disciplines with a view to illuminating aspects of care and treatment;
• Develop a publication strategy and collaborative nursing research projects to include the following themes: gerontology; paediatrics, ethics; oncology; education; patient safety and research methodology.
• Evaluate the collaborative activities.
The Intensive programme has included lectures from staff at the Universities of São Paulo and Surrey. Seminars and inter-disciplinary workshops provided opportunities for faculty members and postgraduate students to share experience and expertise and to develop collaborative publications ideas and research proposals. The programme was planned and facilitated by Ann Gallagher and Khim Horton, School of Health and Social Care, FHMS. Initial feedback suggests that there has been a great deal of collaborative activity with existing relationships strengthened and many new relationships developed.
In her presentation Anne Milton, who was an NHS nurse for 25 years before entering politics, talked about global health issues and how countries such as Brazil and the UK can learn from each other on their different approaches to healthcare provision. She also encouraged the assembled nursing faculty to advocate on behalf of patients and ‘raise the political implications and political challenges of nurses’ day-to-day frontline experience.’
Other speakers at the closing ceremony included Surrey’s Professor Lisa Roberts, Dean of FHMS, Professor Malcolm Von Schantz, acting Pro-Vice Chancellor for International Relations and Professor Karen Bryan, Head of the School of Health and Social Care, who hosted the visit. Juliana Bertazzo, from the Brazilian Embassy’s, shared information about the funding opportunities within the Science Without Borders programme. Representing USP, Professor Margareth Angelo and Professor Lidia Rossi (the latter representing Professor Isabel Mendes) commented on the value of the programme for all involved. Gifts were exchanged and USP and Surrey academics spoke with enthusiasm about the fruitful and exciting developments that have emerged from the two-week intensive programme.
Professor Angelo said: “After these two weeks, the nursing faculty from USP is very motivated. Along with colleagues at Surrey, we’ve been able to develop nine collaborative projects concerned with global issues in health. I strongly believe that this type of cross-cultural cooperation will help the two universities build their own knowledge bases, produce more study and research opportunities for students and work to develop health policy strategies with a global impact.
“We leave Surrey with a feeling of completion as well as much ambition for the future. Surrey’s support and organisation has been amazing, and we’d like to thank the University for the warm welcome.”
