Ana Choperena: "The Strategic Plan will only be successful if it becomes a roadmap built by all".

In this interview with Ana Choperena, dean of the School of Nursing, she delves into the different core topic areas of the new strategic framework and the importance of listening to all those who build the School with their work . 

- What is the vision that the School of Nursing's strategy for the coming years is intended to deliver?
- The vision driving the School 's strategy is transformational. It is not simply to grow, but to consolidate our School as a true beacon in the field of care, research and training. We aspire to become the reference letter institution that society needs, training professionals with a unique educational stamp, who not only respond to current healthcare challenges, but also anticipate them. This vision leads us to an ambitious growth: to significantly increase the issue of students in our Degree and postgraduate program, especially in view of the growing social demand and the expansion of the Clinic in Madrid. We want each graduate of the University of Navarra to become an agent of change, generating a tangible positive impact. In essence, we seek to be the engine that elevates nursing discipline to the highest level of excellence and social commitment.

- The University's Strategy 25/30 is articulated around three axes: talent, science and commitment. How do these three areas translate into the context of Nursing and its strategic priorities as a School?
- These three axes form the backbone of our roadmap, translating into very specific actions that will drive the School forward over the next five years. Firstly, talent is focused on attracting and development talent. We want to attract the best students, but also the best academic talent, which in our discipline must have a strong healthcare experience. We will strengthen the figure of the professor with clinical experience to ensure that our teaching is deep, rigorous, internship and relevant. In addition, we will give maximum visibility to our training model , which integrates academic excellence, innovative teaching methodologies and the disciplinary leadership of our Sigma chapter. And we will not forget our social commitment: we will continue to strengthen the María Egea Fund to ensure that talent is not lost for economic reasons.

The axis of Science is focused on applied excellence and its expansion. We have the challenge to expand the Master's Degree in Advanced internship in Oncology to all areas of care, in order to position ourselves as a leading institution in these fields. Similarly, the development of the Observatory for Person/Family Centered Care will help to generate knowledge, identify best practices and, above all, influence policies and regulatory frameworks. We want to be a reference that proposes standards for the humanization of care. Alongside this, we are working on an ambitious academic rethinking that includes the incorporation of Artificial Intelligence into everyday professor reality and the creation of a unique immersive experience for our students at the Madrid Clinic.

- What about commitment?
- Commitment is the foundation of all of the above. We firmly believe that in order to be an external reference with its own voice in society, we must first ensure solid internal unity. Therefore, commitment translates into a process of collective construction. The strategy does not belong to the School's board of Directors, but to the entire community. Opening effective channels of participation is the best way to ensure that the plan is realistic, ambitious and, above all, felt by all: faculty and PADs, PAS, students and, of course, our valued colleagues at the Clinic.

- Nursing 25/30 has opened a participatory process. What do you expect these meetings to contribute and how will they influence the final concreteness of the School of Nursing initiatives?
- We hope that this participatory process will inject realism and relevance into the plan. It is an invitation to the whole community to feel decisive in the final design . The Clinic is the heart of our training internship; therefore, the voice of the clinical nurses is vital to provide the best immersion for students both in Pamplona and in Madrid. Professors and PADs will bring their expertise to give visibility to our training model , and PAS, efficiency to optimize administrative growth. Students, for their part, will give us the perspective of their professional future. By opening channels such as work sessions and idea boxes, we are not only listening, we are co-creating. The Strategic Plan will only be successful if it becomes a roadmap built by everyone, reflecting the needs, knowledge and commitment of each person who makes up this great community. Influence is maximum: the feedback we get will modulate and enrich the realization of each initiative, from the details of the new Advanced internship Master's Degree to the implementation of the Observatory.