The 2026 edition of the 18th Italian-Brazilian Laboratory on Education, Research and Practices in Collective Health is officially underway. The main programme will take place from 9 to 14 February, with satellite activities and planning sessions running from 4 to 19 February across different locations in the Emilia-Romagna Region.
The Laboratory represents an international space for dialogue and cooperation among institutions, universities, health and social care services, social movements and local communities, with the aim of promoting health models based on participation, integration and sustainability. The 2026 edition is dedicated to the theme of systems, networks and local practices of health and democracy, in relation to the challenges posed by the environmental crisis, social transformations and the protection of rights.
Through a research–training–action methodology, the programme includes institutional dialogue sessions, community-based workshops, seminars, guided visits, case studies and cultural events. The Laboratory is not conceived as a traditional conference, but as a distributed and participatory pathway focused on the exchange of experiences and the shared construction of knowledge among professionals, researchers, policymakers, students and citizens. The presence of a qualified international delegation, particularly from Brazil, and the involvement of other global contexts strengthen the transnational dimension of the initiative, fostering cooperation and dialogue among healthcare systems, public policies and community practices.
The Laboratory also aims to promote a vision of equitable and inclusive health and social services, oriented towards social justice, enhancing the role of communities, active citizen participation and universal access to care and services.
The programme also includes a Study Day dedicated to Family and Community Nursing, scheduled for 18 February at the University of Parma, which will provide an opportunity to explore territorial care models and the role of health professions in community-based settings. (PROGRAMME LINK)
Participation in the Laboratory offers professionals and students of the Master in Healthcare programmes at the University of Parma an important opportunity for situated learning, international exchange and the development of skills focused on innovation in health and social care services. The 18th Italian-Brazilian Laboratory thus confirms its value as a space for collective construction, where education, research and practice intertwine to promote a more equitable, participatory and community-oriented public health system.
The Laboratory was officially inaugurated on 9 February 2026 at the Sala XX Maggio in Bologna, in the presence of distinguished representatives from institutions and academia, including Raffaele Fabi, Regional Councillor for Health Policies; Albertina Soliani, former Senator of the Republic and President of the Alcide Cervi Institute; Alcindo Ferla, Professor at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul and coordinator of the Rede Unida network; and Augusta Nicoli, Professor at the University of Bologna and expert in health and welfare policies.
“The Italian-Brazilian Laboratory represents a valuable opportunity for international exchange and cultural and professional growth for our students and for all the professionals involved. Initiatives like this strengthen the dialogue between education, research and community practices, helping to build a healthcare system that is increasingly participatory, innovative and attentive to people’s needs”.
— Antonio Bonacaro, President of the Master in Healthcare programmes, University of Parma
