On 11 June 2026, the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Maribor, successfully hosted the 14th International Scientific Conference Research and Education in Nursing, once again bringing together national and international researchers, higher education lecturers, clinical experts, and students.
The conference represents an important international platform for the exchange of knowledge, research findings, and best practices in the fields of nursing, health sciences, public health, digital health, and related disciplines. This year’s programme reflected current challenges and opportunities in modern healthcare, education, and research, offering numerous contributions that highlighted innovative approaches and scientific evidence for the development of high-quality, safe, and person-centred care.
Particular attention was devoted to the digital transformation of healthcare, the use of artificial intelligence in nursing, electronic documentation, health literacy, and the technological competencies of healthcare professionals. Research achievements were also presented in the areas of oncology, prevention, communication, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, paediatric nursing, elderly care, mental health, quality of life, and interprofessional collaboration.
The international dimension of the event was significantly enriched by distinguished invited speakers. Participants were inspired by lectures from Prof Roger Watson, PhD, who addressed contemporary challenges and opportunities in scientific publishing; Prof Andreas Charalambous, PhD, who spoke about digital patient empowerment; and Assoc Prof Martin Michalowski, PhD, who presented the potential of multimodal artificial intelligence in healthcare.
Within the conference programme, participants presented numerous research contributions and engaged in discussions on professional, research, ethical, and societal issues shaping the future of nursing and health sciences. A special value of the conference remains its international orientation, enabling the comparison of diverse research approaches, healthcare systems, and best practices, while fostering the development of new research partnerships and projects.
The traditional conference once again confirmed the importance of international collaboration, the integration of research, education, and clinical practice, and the creation of an environment conducive to the development of new ideas, knowledge, and innovations in nursing and health sciences. We sincerely thank all speakers, contributing authors, moderators, members of the organising and programme committees, and participants for their contribution to the successful implementation of the conference and the advancement of professional excellence.
