Period: 7.9.2023 - 31.12.2025

Content: The Finland Southern Africa Midwifery Education (FAME) project is coordinated by Novia University of Applied Science (Novia UAS) in cooperation with the University of Venda (UNIVEN) in South Africa, and the University of Zambia (UNZA) in Zambia, with the aim to enhance students’ and teachers’ global knowledge, competences and intercultural skills through knowledge sharing in education practices. The overall focus of the cooperation is on high-risk pregnancy and maternal mental health, to reduce maternal and perinatal mortality, and increase well-being and health of infants and mothers in all three countries. In Zambia and South Africa, maternal mortality and perinatal mortality are high and both countries face challenges in this matter. Finland in the other hand, has one of the lowest maternity and child mortality rates in the world and education is playing an important part in achieving this. Furthermore, Finland is known for its successful welfare system and its quality education system with innovative pedagogical approaches, such as for instance the active use of simulation in education. This project will therefore provide grounds for benchmarking and sharing of best practices in the areas of maternal health and well-being education. Finland is becoming culturally diverse and educational institutions need to prepare students to be able to work in an intercultural environment. Therefore, there is a need to strengthen global competences by for instance expanding the partnerships for education in health outside the Nordic and European regions.

The project covers topics mainly in the field of midwifery; however, it includes students and teachers from public health care and nursing education. The project consists of several activities such as workshops, production of digital educational materials, students and staff exchange including study visits, lectures, and practices, as well as a dissemination event. Expected results from this project are:
• Improved competences in virtual/digital teaching.
• Enhanced understanding of different and good practices in the field of midwifery, public health care and nursing education.
• Improved knowledge among teachers and students on high-risk pregnancy and maternal mental health, intercultural midwifery competences and health care systems.
• Indirectly through education of professionals, partner HEIs contribute in the long term to the improvement of maternity and perinatal mortality in all three countries.
• Improved/renewed curricula and teaching methods and models.
• Improved cultural competences, intercultural collaboration, and communication, especially for students.

The “Finland Southern Africa Midwifery Education (FAME)” is funded by the Finnish National Agency for Education (EDUFI) withing the framework of the Team Finland Knowledge (TFK) programme.

For more information about the project, contact project manager Anita Wikberg, anita.wikberg@novia.fi , +358447805326.

For more information about the Team Finland Knowledge programme, contact Anna-Karin Jansson, anna-karin.jansson@novia.fi, +358504725032 or Marie Louise Razafy Kjellman, marie.kjellman@novia.fi, +358504784970.

Focus area: Interprofessionell hälsa och välfärd

Campus: Vasa Wolffskavägen 31

Financers: TFK

Project manager: Anita Wikberg

Partners: University of Venda (UNIVEN), South Africa, University of Zambia (UNZA) in Zambia