Professionals from thirteen countries are participating in the ATLANTES Summer School to receive training in leadership, ethics, and research palliative care
Organized in collaboration with project , the training drive positive change in Education, internship policies in this field
Photo by Manuelgroup in the 2026 edition of the ATLANTES Summer School.
18 | 06 | 2026
About 50 professionals from thirteen countries participated in the latest edition of the Summer School held at the Institute for Culture and Society (ICS) at the University of Navarra to receive training in leadership, ethics, and research the field of palliative care. Spearheaded by the ICS’s ATLANTES Global Palliative Care Observatory and theCODE-YAA@PC-EDU project (COllaboratively DEveloped culturallY Appropriate and inclusive Assessment tool for Palliative Care EDUcation), its goal to revolutionize Education, internship policies in palliative care.
From June 8 to 12, participants took part in 18 interactive workshopsto strengthen their skills in areas such as transformational leadership, ethical challenges in internship , and the integration of theory and internship palliative care Education ethics, among others. Vilma Tripodoro, a researcher at ATLANTES, explains that “this meeting has brought together professionals—many of whom are under 40—who are interested in improving their leadership skills in palliative Education .” She notes that they have “designed and evaluated projects and engaged in ethical discussions regarding Education end-of-life care.”
The Summer School has brought together professionals from various disciplines—ranging from doctors and nurses to psychologists and social workers—from countries such as Germany, Italy, Turkey, the United Kingdom, Israel, Portugal, and Spain, among others. Blerona Shala, professor the Health management and Services management and Digital Health programs management Heimerer College in Kosovo, is participating in this training for the first time, where she also facilitated one of the leadership workshops. The professor highlights the dynamic nature of the course and the value of working with people from diverse disciplines: “It’s very interesting to look at leadership from different perspectives, such as the curriculum, work , communication, management , and design thinking. We’ve covered many topics, and I’ve really enjoyed the dynamic atmosphere.”
The diversity of professional profiles and experiences has also been one of the most important aspects for Minna Hökkä, a nurse at Oulu University Hospital in Finland: “It has been a very enjoyable experience. We have a group well-balanced group of people who work and learn together. Having people from different professions, levels of experience, and different countries creates a very enriching combination for learning. It’s an opportunity to learn how palliative care works in other countries and healthcare systems.” In this regard, she notes that “it allows you to realize what’s already working well in your own country—things you may not have appreciated before—and, at the same time, to learn what other countries are doing well and what ideas you could develop or adapt for your own country.”
Elona Hasala, a nurse, dentist, and professor at the University of Elbasan in Albania, has participated in this training for the second time training particularly values the opportunity to connect with others and apply internship her work: “I’ve learned new approaches and concepts, such as compassion, that help me do my work better, assist my patients, and teach palliative care to my students.” In this regard, she emphasizes the importance of a holistic view of palliative care, “which is not directed solely at people with cancer but also involves caring for our own families.” For this reason, she believes that “it is very important to explain what palliative care is and to provide care and healthcare to the community around us.”
For his part, Serghei Sprincean, a bioethics expert at Moldova State University, considers “synergies among participants” to be essential, noting that these “can only be created if we identify and find common ground among countries that are completely different, with very distinct religions, histories, and even political systems.” That is why he views “exchanging and comparing palliative care models” as a positive step.