Friday, 29 November 2024 – The Republic of North Macedonia is taking significant steps toward advancing nursing and midwifery education and establishing a system for the recognition of professional qualifications. As part of the project titled “Advancing Nursing and Midwifery Education and Establishing the System for the Recognition of Professional Qualifications in the Republic of North Macedonia (2024–2025)”, we are organising the local launch of the project in North Macedonia on the 16 December.
Opening the local launch of the project will be H.E. Minister Arben Taravari, Ministry of Health of the Republic of North Macedonia, H.E. Minister Vesna Janevska, Ministry of Education of the Republic of North Macedonia, Dr Akeem Ali, WHO Representative and Head of WHO Country Office North Macedonia, Representative of the Slovenian Embassy in North Macedonia and Representative of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Slovenia.
Alongside the local launch, the first set of workshops will take place on 17–18 December at the Austrian Palace Hotel in Skopje. These workshops will bring together experts and Macedonian stakeholders to discuss the alignment of nursing and midwifery education with European Union directives, explore professional regulation, and outline recommendations for legislative changes while addressing the nation’s specific needs.
The project is implemented with the support of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia [through the International Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid Programme] and the Ministry of Health of the Republic of North Macedonia, with technical support from WHO Office North Macedonia.
Novico v slovenskem jeziku najdete tu.
On October 22, an expert visit in the framework of the project “Advancing the Nursing and Midwifery Education and Profession in the Republic of North Macedonia” was successfully completed in Skopje.
Slovenian experts gained valuable insight into the educational system for nurses and midwives and the current regulatory framework for these professions in North Macedonia. At the meeting, representatives from Slovenia also presented Slovenian solutions in this area and provided an overview of the European Union’s requirements regarding the regulation of these professions. Representatives of the World Health Organization (WHO) in North Macedonia and members of the Ministry of Health of North Macedonia project secretariat participated in the organization and implementation of the expert visit. The project’s next phase will be the implementation of the first of three planned workshops aimed at technical support and training of key stakeholders from North Macedonia.
The project is implemented with the support of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia through the International Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid Programme and the Ministry of Health of the Republic of North Macedonia.
Novico v slovenskem jeziku najdete tu.
In Skopje, within the project “Advancing the Nursing and Midwifery Education and Profession in the Republic of North Macedonia”, a two-day professional visit began, with the participation of experts from Slovenia, including Prof. Dr. Brigita Skela Savič from the Angela Boškin Faculty of Health, Andrej Vojnovič and Anita Prelec from the Nurses and Midwives Association of Slovenia.
The purpose of the visit is to meet with various stakeholders in the field of education and regulation of the professions of nurses and midwives in the Republic of North Macedonia. The aim is to obtain key information for the preparation of recommendations to improve the educational process and establish a comprehensive approach to the regulation of professions in nursing and midwifery care.
The project is implemented with the support of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia through the International Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid Programme and the Ministry of Health of the Republic of North Macedonia.
Novička o obisku v slovenskem jeziku.
Between 20 and 22 October 2024, three experts from the Angela Boškin Faculty of Health and the Nurses and Midwives Association of Slovenia, who participate in the project “Advancing the Nursing and Midwifery Education and Profession in the Republic of North Macedonia”, will participate in a fact-finding visit to Skopje.
The purpose of the visit is to meet with Macedonian experts from fields that are important for renewing education in nursing and midwifery and regulating the professions of nurses and midwives. The aim of the visit is to obtain relevant information necessary for preparing an in-depth analysis and reform proposal.
The project is implemented with the support of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia through the International Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid Programme and the Ministry of Health of the Republic of North Macedonia.
*Photos are from the first study visit in Slovenia.
We are continuing the activities in the scope of the project “Advancing nursing and midwifery education and establishing the system for the recognition of professional qualifications in the Republic of North Macedonia (2024–2025),” which aims to support and advance nursing and midwifery education in North Macedonia.
The project, launched in June 2024, continues with a fact-finding visit to Skopje, where from 20 to 22 October, several workshops, presentations by Slovenian experts and group interviews with Macedonian experts will be held. The visit will take a cross-pillar approach, focusing on regulation, legislation and education, and will unite representatives of faculties and schools where nursing and midwifery studies are conducted, WHO Office in Skopje, Institute for Public Health, representatives from the Ministry of Higher Education covering legislation related to higher education, and representatives from the Ministry of Health, as well as representatives from the government recognized the national nursing and midwifery organizations.
Project is implemented with the support of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia through the International Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid Programme and the Ministry of Health of the Republic of North Macedonia.
We have successfully completed the three-day study visit as part of the project ‘Advancing Nursing and Midwifery Education and Establishing the System for the Recognition of Professional Qualifications in the Republic of North Macedonia (2024–2025)’. The study visit, held from June 3 to June 5, 2024, marks the beginning of cooperation between Slovenia and North Macedonia in enhancing the professional qualifications and education systems for nurses and midwives in North Macedonia.
The visit began with the official launch of the project on Monday with the welcome address from Mr Denis Korde, State Secretary at Ministry of Health of Slovenia. He welcomed the Macedonian delegation to Slovenia, emphasizing the importance of collaboration for addressing the challenges in the health sector. Activities of day 1 continued with presentations from Ms Monika Ažman, President of the Nurses and Midwives Association of Slovenia (NMA), who shared the association’s almost century-long journey and developments in the nursing and midwifery sector in Slovenia in this time. Mr Andrej Vojnovič, presented the regulatory framework for nursing in Slovenia, with follow-up presentations by Ms Urša Glavinac and Ms Anita Prelec, focusing on the registration, licensing, and continuous professional and educational development of nurses and midwives, emphasizing patient safety and quality care.
On Tuesday, the delegation visited the Angela Boškin Faculty of Health Care (ABFHC) in Jesenice. Doc. Dr Sanela Pivač, Prof. Dr Brigita Skela Savič, and Senior Lecturer Ms Anita Prelec, presented the work of the Faculty, the evolution of nursing and midwifery education in Slovenia and strategies for building quality education programs. They also presented the work of ABFHC and the cooperation of the Faculty with Jesenice General Hospital. Representatives from North Macedonia presented the issues in the implementation of the Bologna process in their educational sector with the along with the current obstacles in establishing graduate and postgraduate programs for nurses and midwives in North Macedonia. The afternoon featured a tour of Jesenice General Hospital, where the delegation learned more about the roles and competencies of nurses and midwives in the healthcare system of Slovenia.
The final day of the study visit began with an interactive debrief and a discussion focused on the possibility of applying the Slovenian practices to the North Macedonian context. Members of the delegation noted the benefits of a public healthcare system, particularly in primary care settings. The discussions also focused on outlining steps for future activities, focused on regulation and education. Following the discussion, the delegation visited Community Health Centre Ljubljana (Zdravstveni dom Ljubljana) and the Simulation centre (SIM centre) of the Community Health Centre Ljubljana (CHC Ljubljana), which is the first simulation centre on the primary level in Slovenia. It provides the implementation of advanced simulations in healthcare to improve patient safety, to increase the knowledge and skills of professionals, and to enhance their competences and their effectiveness to act in certain life-threatening situations. The visit of the Community Health Centre enabled the presentation of the different role of nurses in primary health care.
The Centre for European Perspective extends its thanks to all the institutions and individuals who made this study visit a success:
About the Project
The project ‘Advancing Nursing and Midwifery Education and Establishing the System for the Recognition of Professional Qualifications in the Republic of North Macedonia (2024–2025)’ aims to align nursing and midwifery education with European standards, improving healthcare outcomes in North Macedonia. The project activities are supported by the Slovenian Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs through the #SlovenianAid programme, and the Ministry of Health of the Republic of North Macedonia.
Check out the photos in the Flickr gallery below:
