Abstract
Background: For over a decade, the international academic partnership between universities in the United States and a Nordic country has enriched graduate nursing education through a global leadership immersion course grounded in partnership theory (Bragadóttir et al., 2020; Eisler & Potter, 2014; Gingerich et al, 2024). This past year, faculty intentionally redesigned the week-long course using innovative curriculum design principles, integrating the American Organization for Nursing Leadership (AONL) Nurse Leader Core Competencies (AONL, 2024), Sigma's Global Nursing Leadership Competency Framework (Sigma Nursing, n.d.), and Liberating Structures (Liberating Structures, n.d.).
Purpose: This forward-thinking approach leveraged innovative curriculum design to transform an international immersion course into a dynamic learning laboratory. Through experiential, globally networked collaboration, the program empowered learners to integrate leadership competencies, co-create solutions, and address health challenges that advance health equity.
Methods: Using principles of innovative curriculum development, faculty employed a design-thinking approach to the redesign. Each course component aligned with AONL/Sigma competencies to create a catalytic leadership learning journey. Faculty scaffolded context to build conceptual understanding, managed cognitive load to optimize engagement, and integrated active, experiential learning strategies grounded in global health issues. Reflective practice and peer dialogue were woven throughout to deepen insight and leadership growth. Diverse perspectives, an unfolding case study, and liberating structures fostered creativity, inclusivity, and systems thinking across cultural and professional boundaries. Continuous feedback loops from students and international partners informed iterative refinements, ensuring the curriculum remained responsive and adaptive.
Results: Combining the top two categories (good or very good) of the post-immersion survey, 94% of participants ranked confidence and 84% competence high. Course design and usability were also ranked high, 97% and 85% respectively.
Conclusion:Through a global academic partnership model, curriculum innovations empower emerging nurse leaders to harness collaboration and global perspectives. This transformative approach equipped them to confront complex health challenges across an interconnected world, driving meaningful change and advancing health equity.
Notes
Reference list included in attached slide deck.
Sigma Membership
Zeta
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Case Study/Series
Research Approach
Translational Research/Evidence-based Practice
Keywords:
Global Leadership, Curriculum Development, Health Equity or Social Determinants of Health, Collaboration, International Relations, Graduate Nursing Education, Nursing Leaders, Leadership
Recommended Citation
Grenier, Stacey; Wentzel, Jennifer A.; Gingerich, Stephanie; Jonsdottir, Gudrun; Pechacek, Judith; and Bragadóttir, Helga, "Advancing Graduate Nursing Education: Innovative Curriculum for Global Leadership and Health Equity" (2026). International Nursing Research Congress (INRC). 68.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/inrc/2026/presentations_2026/68
Conference Name
37th International Nursing Research Congress
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Conference Year
2026
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record. All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository. All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Publisher-submission
Date of Issue
2026-07-26
Advancing Graduate Nursing Education: Innovative Curriculum for Global Leadership and Health Equity
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Background: For over a decade, the international academic partnership between universities in the United States and a Nordic country has enriched graduate nursing education through a global leadership immersion course grounded in partnership theory (Bragadóttir et al., 2020; Eisler & Potter, 2014; Gingerich et al, 2024). This past year, faculty intentionally redesigned the week-long course using innovative curriculum design principles, integrating the American Organization for Nursing Leadership (AONL) Nurse Leader Core Competencies (AONL, 2024), Sigma's Global Nursing Leadership Competency Framework (Sigma Nursing, n.d.), and Liberating Structures (Liberating Structures, n.d.).
Purpose: This forward-thinking approach leveraged innovative curriculum design to transform an international immersion course into a dynamic learning laboratory. Through experiential, globally networked collaboration, the program empowered learners to integrate leadership competencies, co-create solutions, and address health challenges that advance health equity.
Methods: Using principles of innovative curriculum development, faculty employed a design-thinking approach to the redesign. Each course component aligned with AONL/Sigma competencies to create a catalytic leadership learning journey. Faculty scaffolded context to build conceptual understanding, managed cognitive load to optimize engagement, and integrated active, experiential learning strategies grounded in global health issues. Reflective practice and peer dialogue were woven throughout to deepen insight and leadership growth. Diverse perspectives, an unfolding case study, and liberating structures fostered creativity, inclusivity, and systems thinking across cultural and professional boundaries. Continuous feedback loops from students and international partners informed iterative refinements, ensuring the curriculum remained responsive and adaptive.
Results: Combining the top two categories (good or very good) of the post-immersion survey, 94% of participants ranked confidence and 84% competence high. Course design and usability were also ranked high, 97% and 85% respectively.
Conclusion:Through a global academic partnership model, curriculum innovations empower emerging nurse leaders to harness collaboration and global perspectives. This transformative approach equipped them to confront complex health challenges across an interconnected world, driving meaningful change and advancing health equity.
Description
A global academic partnership demonstrated the impact of innovative curriculum design on advancing graduate nursing education. By integrating leadership competencies and collaboration within an international immersion, the initiative fostered the development of nurse leaders equipped to drive health equity through evidence-informed and globally engaged practice.