A major curriculum development project has recently concluded at the Catholic University of Rwanda and the Institute of Applied Technology INES Ruhengeri, with the University of Parma playing a leading role through CUCI – the University Centre for International Cooperation – and its Healthcare Master’s programs. The initiative, which lasted two weeks (one week at each institution), was part of the academic cooperation activities promoted by CUCI and represented a significant step forward in building shared educational pathways and promoting the quality of nursing education at the international level.
The project involved students, faculty, and administrative staff from the Faculty of Health Sciences at the Catholic University of Rwanda in activities of professional development and joint curriculum design for the courses in Medical Surgical Nursing, Health Measurements, and Nursing Research. The training sessions, led by Professor Antonio Bonacaro and Dr. Mauro Parozzi, fostered an intense exchange of experiences, teaching methodologies, and cultural perspectives, laying the foundation for long-term collaboration between the two institutions.
The initiative is part of the broader framework of the ACHIEVE-IT and UNITAFRICA international programs, supported by the Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research (MIUR) through the Next Generation EU initiative. These programs aim to build bridges of knowledge between European and African universities. Their shared goal is to make higher education a space of equity, innovation, and global responsibility.
The project in Rwanda highlighted how international health education can serve as a tool for mutual growth, combining academic expertise, social commitment, and intercultural sensitivity. The enthusiasm of students, the collaboration of colleagues, and the warm hospitality received made this experience a shining example of how university cooperation can translate into sustainable development and enhancement of local human capital.
As Professor Antonio Bonacaro, Head of the Healthcare Master’s Programs at the University of Parma, emphasized: “This experience shows that academic cooperation is not just an exchange of knowledge, but a meeting of people, cultures, and visions. Building international educational pathways together means contributing to the growth of a more equitable, competent, and humane global healthcare system”.
