On April 18th, 2024, University of Maribor Faculty of Health Sciences will organize a Doctoral symposium titled Doctoral Education in Advancing the Science and Art of Nursing for the Health System, Society and Patients Needs.
The organization of the Doctoral Symposium plays a crucial role in advancing the science of nursing by bridging the gap between education, research, and the application of results to practice, stimulating scientific development, and improving educational practices in doctoral education. Internationally renowned and respected professors, researchers and students will present their innovative research and years of experience in doctoral education, thus making an important contribution to the body of knowledge in nursing. It also fosters a collaborative international environment where researchers, professors and students from international backgrounds can exchange ideas, philosophies, methodologies and experiences, thus promoting international cooperation. This not only enriches the educational experience, but also lays the foundations for reflective education and critical thinking, which are essential to meet the challenges of tomorrow's healthcare environment. By synthesising research, education and international collaboration, the Doctoral Symposium in Nursing lays the foundations for future international collaborative educational development and ensures the continued evolution of the discipline in line with the dynamic needs of global healthcare.
* University of Maribor, Faculty of Health Sciences reserves the right to make changes to the programme.
Prof Hugh McKenna, PhD, Ulster University, UK
Prof Hugh McKenna was, until recently, Dean of Medical School Development and Pro Vice Chancellor Research and Innovation at Ulster University, UK. He has over 250 publications, including 17 books; his latest on Research Impact. His research has been cited 23,252 times. He was Course Director for the first professional doctorate in nursing in Europe and established a University-wide Doctoral College. He has co-authored 12 peer reviewed papers on nurse doctoral education, many relating to the identification and application of quality indicators. He also co-authored a textbook entitled ‘Doctoral Education in Nursing: an international perspective’. In a 2022 co-authored paper he discusses the quality of doctoral education in 7 countries across the six WHO Regions. He was a co-founder of the International Network of Doctoral Education in Nursing (INDEN), which has membership across 34 different countries. In 2008, 2014 and 2021, he chaired the UK’s Research Excellence Framework’s (REF) expert panel assessing research on dentistry, pharmacy, biomedical science, allied health professions and nursing and midwifery. A core element of the assessment was reviewing the support for doctoral students and programmes in UK Universities. In 2019 and 2020, he received two Honorary Doctorates (one from Maribor University) and held 7 international visiting professorships. He was also appointed Member of the Academia Europaea and a Member of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts. His recent appointments include: Vice Chair of Alzheimer’s Society UK, Auditor for the Hong Kong Quality Assurance Council; member of the Hong Kong Standing Review Board, Visiting Professor at Brunel University, Editor in Chief of the Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing.
Prof Alvisa Palese, PhD, University of Udine, IT
Prof Alvisa Palese is a Full Professor of Nursing in Udine University (Italy), where she is Dean of the Master’s Degree in Nursing and Midwife Sciences. She has been just appointed as the President of the Italian Permanent Conference of Bachelor’s and Master’s degree Courses of Health Care Professions including more than 700 health care science degrees in Italy. She is the leader and the partner of several National and International research projects regarding issues in Nursing Workforce, Nursing Homes Quality of care, Patient Safety as Missed Nursing Care. Her passion is doing research and teaching to the future generation of nurses.
Stefania Chiappinotto, PhD, University of Udine, IT
Stefania Chiappinotto is a research fellow in University of Udine (Italy). She has attended the bachelor and master’s degrees in nursing at University of Padova (Italy) in 2015 and 2017, respectively. Before starting her doctoral studies, she has worked in AULSS 2 Marca Trevigiana Hospital (Italy) in medical and paediatrician department. The doctoral studies were based on the Unfinished Nursing Care issue and, in particular, she has deepened the antecedents of the phenomenon. Now she is co-investigator in many international research project regarding issue in ethical field, community healthcare and digital challenges.
Assist Prof Tit Albreht, PhD, NIPH, SI
Assist Prof Tit Albreht, PhD, MD has completed his doctorate in the field of Health Service and Health Systems Research at the University of Amsterdam. Albreht is the head of the Center for Health Care at the National Institute of Public Health Slovenia, a researcher in health service research, health policies and health systems, and a member of the scientific committee of the European Public Health Association - EUPHA. Between 2016 and 2022, he was the president of the Section for Preventive Medicine at the Slovenian Medical Association. In November 2022, he was elected as the future president of the European Public Health Association for the term 2024-2026. His research and professional work has focused on national and EU policies in the fields of human resources in health, patient mobility, cancer management, and cancer control (the latter two since 2006). He was the scientific coordinator of three EU projects in the field of cancer control policies. Joint Actions Projects. He is an assistant professor of public health at both the Slovenian medical faculties and the Health Science Faculties in Maribor and Jesenice.
Prof Andreas Charalambous, PhD, Cyprus University of Technology, CY
Prof Andreas Charalambous, BSc, MSc, PGCert (Research), PhD (Oncology Nursing), started his nursing career in 1995. He obtained his BSc in Nursing Science in 1999 by the Northumbria University (U.K), his MSc (Nursing Science) in 2002, and his PhD (Oncology Nursing) in 2008 from Middlesex University (UK). He has a proven track in academia since 2004. Ηe holds the position of Professor of Oncology and Palliative Care and he also holds the position of an Adjunct Professor at University of Turku (Finland). He is the founder and Past-President of the Cyprus Oncology Nursing Society, European Oncology Nursing Society (EONS) Former President and European Cancer Organization Immediate Past President. He is also the Founder of the Cancer Nursing Fund (https://cancernurse.eu/cancer-nursing-fund/) and the European Cancer Communities Foundation (https://www.europeancancerfoundation.org/). He is involved in National and International research programs (HORIZON2020, ERASMUS+, COST) in various fields of cancer care. Examples of externally funded projects include: PI in the ERASMUS+ project PROLEPSIS (https://prolepsis.eu/), PI (Cyprus team) in the ERAMUS+ project HERO (https://hero-erasmus.csl.gr/), PI in the ERASMUS+ project SAVE, PI (Cyprus team) in the ERAMUS+ project COMPASS, PI (Cyprus team) in the EU4HEALTH Joint Action Project eCAN, PI (Cyprus team) in the HORIZON project INCISIVE (https://incisive-project.eu/) and PI in the EU4HEALTH project TRANSiTION (https://www.europeancancer.org/eu-projects/resource/transition)
Assoc Prof Dominika Vrbnjak, PhD, University of Maribor, SI
Assoc Prof Dominika Vrbnjak, PhD, RN works at the University of Maribor Faculty of Health Sciences. She was a visiting teaching assistant at the Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, a visiting PhD Student at South East Technological University, and a visiting higher education teacher at the University of Rijeka Faculty of Health Studies. She has participated in several national and international projects in the nursing field, especially pedagogy in nursing and technology education. She is a member of Sigma Theta Tau International, the Honour Society of Nursing, the European Academy of Nursing Science and the International Association of Human Caring. Her research interests include mixed methods research, caring, safety, and quality of care in nursing practice and education.
Prof Gregor Štiglic, PhD, University of Maribor, SI
Prof Gregor Štiglic is a Professor and Head of the Research Institute at the University of Maribor Faculty of Health Science. Since 2014, he has been working as the Vice Dean for Research at the same faculty, where he coordinates research work of various research groups. He led and worked on numerous research projects in digital healthcare and the application of advanced artificial intelligence methods in various healthcare fields since 2003. As a visiting researcher, he worked at the Center for Data Analysis and Biomedical Analytics (Temple University, 2012), Stanford Center for Biomedical Research (Stanford University, 2013) and the Usher Institute (University of Edinburgh, 2019). He is a board member of the Artificial Intelligence and Medicine in Europe (AIME) association, the Slovenian Society for Medical Informatics (SDMI), and the Slovenian AI Society (SLAIS). He is also a member of ELLIS Society (European Laboratory for Learning and Intelligent Systems) and an Honorary Fellow at the Usher Institute, University of Edinburgh. Gregor serves as Associate Editor at Artificial Intelligence in Medicine (Elsevier) and Big Data (Mary Ann Liebert) journals, as well as an editorial board member at BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making (Nature Springer), PloS ONE (Public Library of Science), Journal of Healthcare Informatics Research (Nature Springer) and BMC Digital Health (Nature Springer).
Prof Majda Pajnkihar, PhD, University of Maribor, SI
Prof Majda Pajnkihar, PhD, RN, FAAN, FEANS, former Dean of the University of Maribor Faculty of Health Sciences, is the Head of the Institute for Nursing Care, senior researcher, and full professor who has participated in numerous national and international projects in the field of nursing. Her educational and research collaboration involves various international institutions. She is an adjunct professor at South East Technological University, a visiting professor at the University of Osijek, Josipa Jurja Strossmayera, Faculty for Dental and Health Care, and was a visiting professor at Nursing College, Belgrade, Serbia and the University of Ulster, Belfast. Professor Pajnkihar is also a member of Sigma Theta Tau International, Honour Society of Nursing and a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing the European Academy of Nursing Science. Her research interests include caring, qualitative research methods, nursing theories supporting nursing practice, education, and research.
Prof Roger Watson, PhD RN FRCP Edin FRCN FAAN, Southwest Medical University, CN
Prof Roger Watson is Academic Dean at Southwest Medical University, China, and Professor of Nursing at St Francis University, Hong Kong. He is Editor-in-Chief of Nurse Education in Practice and an Editorial Board member of the WikiJournal of Medicine. In 2017 he was inducted into the Sigma Theta Tau International Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame, in 2020 he was awarded Doctor Honoris Causa by Maribor University, Slovenia, and was the 2022 winner of the Margaret Comerford Freda Award for Leadership in Editorial Leadership in Nursing Publication awarded by the International Academy of Nursing Editors.
Prof Miriam C.A. Wagoro, KRN /RPN/RM/RCHN, MScN, BScN, DAN, PhD, University of Nairobi, KE
Prof Wagoro is a Clinical Mental Health Nurse and Midwife, Bioethics and International Research Ethics specialist with long and wide standing experience in community and clinical mental health nursing practice, midwifery and education as well as Medical Bioethics, human rights and international research ethics. She is an expert professional nurse with several earned professional nursing, bioethics and research ethics qualifications that include DAN, BScN and MScN from the University of Nairobi (Kenya); PhD Nursing, PGDip in International Research Ethics from the University of Cape Town (South Africa) and PGDip in Bioethics, Human rights and health law from university of Porto (Portugal). She a wide knowledge and experience from International institutions that include Dinna Academic School of Nursing (Israel); Karolinska institute (Sweden), University of Cape Town(South Africa), University of Dundee(Scotland), University of Manitoba(Canada), University of Porto and the UNESCO’s Department of Education, international programs of the international Chair in Bioethics. She has worked at multiple levels of nursing and health care in general from clinical nursing practice to administration, education and leadership. She serves in technical working, steering and advisory committees nationally and internationally that include; Kenyatta National Hospital –University of Nairobi Ethics and Research committee the USA-Medical Benevolence Foundation Center for Global Nursing Development Research Advisory Panel and Global Expert Panel on Nursing Ethics in COVID-19 of the UNESCO Chair in Bioethics.
Prof Marja Kaunonen, PhD, RN, Tampere University, FI
Prof Marja Kaunonen is Professor of Nursing Science at Tampere University, Tampere, Finland and served as a Head of Health Sciences until 31st December 2023. She has a honorary professorship at Shanghai Sipo Polytechnic, School of Health Technology and Nursing. She has also been the president of European Network of Training, Evaluation and Research in Mental Health (ENTER) since 2018. Marja Kaunonen is a member of the Scientific Council for Biosciences, Health and the Environment of the Finnish Research Council and chair of the Steering group for Academy Programme for Sport Science in the Research Council of Finland, 1.1.2024-31.12.2024. She is also a member of the evaluation panel (Public Health) in Evaluation of Medicine and Health 2023-2024 in the Research Council of Norway, January 2024-June 2024. Marja Kaunonen has been teaching bachelor, master’s and doctoral students at the University and she has been actively involved internationally, in Europe, China and South America, in competence and learning outcome-based curriculum development since 2003 in projects Tuning Educational Structures, Phases II-IV, CALOHEE and CALOHE2, Tuning-China, Phase II and ACÈ. She has around 250 peer reviewed publications. Her research portfolio includes research with families in challenging life situations, such as mental illness, cancer or death of a family member as well as birth of a new baby, and support in challenging life situations. In addition, she has been actively involved in collaboration with the research at Tampere University Hospital in topics of leadership and management and lately especially about the impact of covid-19 pandemic to nursing and health care.
Assoc Prof Mateja Lorber, PhD, University of Maribor, SI
Assoc Prof Mateja Lorber is a dean and an associate professor at the University of Maribor, Faculty of Health Sciences. Before that, she worked as a registered nurse at the University Medical Centre Maribor. Her main research interests are gerontology, managing chronic disease, leadership and management, and research in nursing. She presented her work at international scientific conferences and published original papers in domestic and foreign scientific journals. She also received the highest award from the Association of Nurses and Midwives of Slovenia for her successful work and contribution to the implementation of programs in the field of nursing. Furthermore, she is also the editor-in-chief of Slovenian Nursing Review.
Assist Prof Nataša Mlinar Reljić, PhD, RN, University of Maribor, SI
Assist Prof Nataša Mlinar Reljić is a graduate of the Faculty of Health Sciences University of Maribor (1996, 2000) and the Faculty of Organisational Sciences University of Maribor (2001). She obtained a Postgraduate 2nd-degree study program in Management in Health and Social organization also at the Faculty of Health Sciences University of Maribor (2012). She defended her doctoral dissertation in December 2021. She has worked for twelve years in the clinical environment of the General Hospital and Healthcare Centre as a registered nurse. Since 2008 she has been employed at the Faculty of Health Sciences University of Maribor. From 2022 she is working as an assistant professor for subjects: Nursing care in the geriatric field with elective clinical training, Spirituality in nursing care, and Psychology in nursing care. Since 1996 she has been a member of the Nurses and Midwife Association in Slovenia and since 2022, she has been a member of the working group for spiritual care in nursing and midwifery. She is also a member of the Enhancing Nurses’ and Midwives’ Competence in Providing Spiritual Care through Innovative Education and Compassionate Care (EPICC) member staff group since 2019. She received the Rectors Award for the best student in Generation 1996, the bronze plaque of the Faculty of Health Sciences for merits in scientific research and teaching in 2016, and the Award of the University of Maribor for scientific research, and educational work in 2021. Her research work has been presented at international conferences and published in journals and a book section. She also has experience in project work like Association between the Sense of Coherence, Quality of Life and Care of Adults with Chronic Diseases, European Junior Leadership Academy for Student Nurses (RELATE), Spiritual care of older people living with dementia in nursing homes (DODEST), Advanced approaches to learning and testing practical nursing skills in a simulated environment (NOVATION), CalohE2, and others.
Maja Gradišnik, MSc, University of Maribor, SI
Maja Gradišnik is a registered nurse in emergency centre at the University Medical Centre Maribor. She completed her undergraduate degree in 2018, followed by a Master's degree in Nursing from the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Maribor in 2020. Beginning at the end of 2020, she commenced her work at the department of Gynaecology and Perinatology at the University Clinical Centre Maribor.
She actively engages in international conferences and scientific symposia, showcasing her dedication to ongoing professional development. With a desire for personal growth and exploration in healthcare, she enrolled in the doctoral program at the Faculty of Health Sciences University of Maribor in the academic year 2023/2024.
Nataša Kreft, MSc, University of Maribor, SI
Nataša Kreft works at Murska Sobota General Hospital. She graduated from the Faculty of Health Sciences in Maribor in 2005. Her professional career began in 2005 as a graduated trainee nurse at the General Hospital Murska Sobota, the Surgical Department. During this period, she gained much experience and improved her professional knowledge in the Department of Perioperative Medicine and, since 2008, in the Department of Surgery. In 2015 she completed her Master's degree at the Faculty of Health Sciences in Maribor, majoring in Management in Health and Social Organisations. From 2016 to 2020, she continued working as Deputy Head of Nursing of Surgical Activities, and then until 2021, she was Head of Nursing of Surgical Activities. Then she took up the Acting Assistant Director of Nursing position and was selected as Assistant Director of Nursing in December 2021, a post she held until 2023. Her current post is the Chief Nurse of the Surgical Department. She is a member of the Scientific Research Department of the research group at Murska Sobota General Hospital. In the academic year 2023/24, she is a PhD student at the Faculty of Health Sciences in Maribor.
Zlatko Kvržić, MSc, University of Maribor, SI
Zlatko Kvržić serves as the Head Nurse in the Military Medical Unit of the Slovenian Armed Forces. Prior to his tenure with the Slovenian Armed Forces, he worked for ten years in pre-hospital emergency medical care. Throughout his career, he has been actively involved in teaching first aid. He holds certification as an ITLS (International Trauma Life Support) instructor, and as of this year, he is also an NAEMT (National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians) Instructor for Tactical Combat Casualty Care. He obtained his undergraduate degree from the University of Ljubljana - College of Health in 2007, and in 2018, he earned his master's degree from the University of Ljubljana - Faculty of Health Sciences. Over the course of his extensive career, he has achieved notable accomplishments, including winning the European Red Cross Championship as an instructor for his group, and receiving the prestigious World Award for the Best ITLS Instructor in 2022. In addition to his professional responsibilities, he embarked on a doctoral journey at the Faculty of Health Sciences Maribor in 2023.
Benjamin Habinc, BSc, RN, University of Maribor, SI
Benjamin Habinc, RN, BN, a student in the postgraduate study program in Nursing, studies the field of Public Health Nursing. I personally find research areas closest to me which touch field of public health nursing. Health inequality, the development of nursing as a discipline and profession, social determinants of health, the role of nursing in health policies and management are just some areas that encompass my research interest. Among other I am employed at the University Clinical Centre Maribor at the Clinical Department of Abdominal and General Surgery, where I’m in daily contact with patients and nursing students to whom I want to impart as much knowledge and skills from nursing practice as possible.