Other Titles
Innovation in Global Learning: Addressing the SDGs in an Interprofessional Educational Partnership in Cyprus [Title Slide]
Abstract
Background/Purpose: Recognizing the importance of interprofessional educational experiences and graduating global citizens, nursing must think creatively to develop learning opportunities for global interaction. Challenges exist in offering study-abroad nursing experiences as curriculums are very full, controlled for content, and oftentimes accelerated. Building interdisciplinary collaborations outside of health may provide an untapped, innovative opportunity for building partnerships to enhance global educational outcomes. This presentation describes a unique partnership between nursing and geography designed to develop students’ understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) from diverse perspectives.
Methods: Our brief study abroad experience in Cyprus integrated joint field immersion experiences focused on the SDGs impact and inter-connectedness, targeting health and well-being and sustainability. Combining separate and integrated didactic experiences across two courses enabled students to get content-specific information and brought them together for joint interprofessional experiences to identify commonalities and differences in approaches to tackling and meeting SDGs.
Results: We integrated many field immersion experiences, both modern and historical, with a focus on how most SDGs intertwine with SDG #3 – Health and Well-Being. One example, The Paphos Mosaics UNESCO World Heritage Site provides a valuable and beautiful record of everyday ancient life. We integratied joint learning projects based on ancient mosaics that easily link with many of the sustainable agricultural, geographical, and infrastructure SDG priorities in Cyprus. These mosaics connect to SDG #3 providing evidence of the Mediterranean diet and vineyards, self-care through the Roman baths, and Greek mythology about romance, sexual relations, and, even, violence.
Conclusions: Combining learner- and content-focused approaches provided students with critical-thinking and learning opportunities that brought together insights from unique global and discipline perspectives not found in standard curriculum. Outstanding student evaluations described this first-of-its-kind course as “radically different way to learn from and with each other” and a way to “bring ideas together to help us learn as students but also grow as people”. Presentation includes insights for successful design and implementation connecting global learning across disciplines.
Notes
References:
Bain, S. F., & Yaklin, L. E. (2019). Study abroad: striving for transformative impact. Research in Higher Education Journal, 36, 1-5.
Bradly, A. & Iskhakova, M. (2023), "Systematic review of short-term study abroad outcomes and an agenda for future research", Journal of International Education in Business, Vol. 16 No. 1, pp. 70-90
Constantinou, S. T., & Morrison-Beedy, D. (2021). A Global Educational Experience between Geography and Nursing: Interdisciplinarity and Sustainability. The Geography Teacher, 18(3–4), 142–145. https://doi.org/10.1080/19338341.2021.1931923
Gan, L., & Kang, Z. (2022). Study Abroad: Benefits, Concerns, Who Goes and Why?. Frontiers: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad, 34(4), 206–240.
King, T.S., Bochenek, J., Jenssen, U., Bowles, W. & Morrison-Beedy, D. (2021). Virtual study-abroad through web-conferencing: Sharing knowledge and building cultural appreciation in nursing education and practice. Journal of Transcultural Nursing, 32(6), 790-798.
Morrison-Beedy, D., Jenssen, U., Bochenek, J., Bowles, W., King, T., & Mathieson, L. (2021) Building global nursing citizens through curricular integration of Sustainable Development Goals within an international clinical experience, Nurse Educator. 46(1):1-12
Recto, P., Lesser, J., Moshtagh, R,. et.al., (2022). Addressing health inequities through co-curricular interprofessional education: A secondary analysis scoping review, Journal of Interprofessional Education and Practice, 29 (12), 100549
Sigma Membership
Epsilon
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Other
Research Approach
Other
Keywords:
Cultural Exchange Programs, Study Abroad, Sustainable Development Goals, Interprofessional, Interdisciplinary
Recommended Citation
Morrison-Beedy, Dianne, "Global Learning Innovation: Addressing the SDGs in an Interprofessional Partnership in Cyprus" (2025). International Nursing Research Congress (INRC). 77.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/inrc/2025/presentations_2025/77
Conference Name
36th International Nursing Research Congress
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Seattle, Washington, USA
Conference Year
2025
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.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Global Learning Innovation: Addressing the SDGs in an Interprofessional Partnership in Cyprus
Seattle, Washington, USA
Background/Purpose: Recognizing the importance of interprofessional educational experiences and graduating global citizens, nursing must think creatively to develop learning opportunities for global interaction. Challenges exist in offering study-abroad nursing experiences as curriculums are very full, controlled for content, and oftentimes accelerated. Building interdisciplinary collaborations outside of health may provide an untapped, innovative opportunity for building partnerships to enhance global educational outcomes. This presentation describes a unique partnership between nursing and geography designed to develop students’ understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) from diverse perspectives.
Methods: Our brief study abroad experience in Cyprus integrated joint field immersion experiences focused on the SDGs impact and inter-connectedness, targeting health and well-being and sustainability. Combining separate and integrated didactic experiences across two courses enabled students to get content-specific information and brought them together for joint interprofessional experiences to identify commonalities and differences in approaches to tackling and meeting SDGs.
Results: We integrated many field immersion experiences, both modern and historical, with a focus on how most SDGs intertwine with SDG #3 – Health and Well-Being. One example, The Paphos Mosaics UNESCO World Heritage Site provides a valuable and beautiful record of everyday ancient life. We integratied joint learning projects based on ancient mosaics that easily link with many of the sustainable agricultural, geographical, and infrastructure SDG priorities in Cyprus. These mosaics connect to SDG #3 providing evidence of the Mediterranean diet and vineyards, self-care through the Roman baths, and Greek mythology about romance, sexual relations, and, even, violence.
Conclusions: Combining learner- and content-focused approaches provided students with critical-thinking and learning opportunities that brought together insights from unique global and discipline perspectives not found in standard curriculum. Outstanding student evaluations described this first-of-its-kind course as “radically different way to learn from and with each other” and a way to “bring ideas together to help us learn as students but also grow as people”. Presentation includes insights for successful design and implementation connecting global learning across disciplines.
Description
As nursing academia recognizes the importance of both interprofessional learning and creating global citizens, we present insights into creating and executing a joint nursing-geography program in Cyprus. Separate and combined field and didactic experiences integrated both historical and current linkages to the SDGs.