UzhNU Presented Ukraine’s Experience in the International Erasmus+ Project NEHCP During a Meeting in Germany
n June 3, 2026, in Brandenburg, Germany, the third transnational reporting meeting of partners in the international project “Nutrition Education for Healthcare Professionals” (NEHCP), implemented under the Erasmus+ program, took place. The event was attended by representatives of universities from Ireland, France, Romania, and Ukraine.
Uzhhorod National University was represented at the meeting by Nadiya Boiko, Ph.D. in Biology and Professor, and Oleksandra Pallah, Ph.D. in Biology and Associate Professor, from the Educational and Research Institute of Dentistry and Laboratory Medicine. UzhNU’s participation in this international consortium is important not only for the university but also for the development of modern medical education in Ukraine, as the project addresses a topic of particular importance to the healthcare system today: training medical professionals in the fundamentals of nutrition and nutrition science.
The NEHCP project brings together partners from five countries: Ireland, Ukraine, Sweden, France, and Romania. Its main goal is to improve the training of healthcare professionals in nutrition, integrate knowledge about nutrition into educational programs, and create evidence-based teaching resources for instructors.
During the meeting, the partners discussed the interim results of the project’s implementation, including an analysis of educational programs, the findings of focus groups with medical professionals, and the outcomes of Think Tank sessions held in the participating countries. The data obtained confirm a problem common to European countries: nutrition topics in medical education are often presented in a fragmented manner, integrated into other disciplines, and do not always equip future professionals with sufficient practical skills for working with patients.
In particular, an analysis of educational programs showed that nutrition is, in most cases, not taught as a separate, systematic discipline but rather within broader courses—such as physiology, biochemistry, anatomy, or clinical disciplines. At the same time, healthcare professionals themselves emphasized in focus groups that they lack basic knowledge of nutrition, skills in communicating with patients about changing eating behaviors, and tools to counter misinformation, which is actively spreading on social media.
The Ukrainian team’s contribution to the third research phase of the project—the Think Tank sessions—is particularly important. Ukraine ensured active participant representation and provided valuable material for analyzing the national context. Discussions addressed issues such as critical thinking, evidence-based practice, interprofessional collaboration, the role of nutrition in disease prevention, and the need for a clear national policy on nutrition education.
For Uzhhorod National University, participation in the NEHCP is an opportunity not only to join the European educational space but also to influence the development of new approaches to training medical professionals. The UzhNU team is involved in providing methodological support for research, analyzing educational needs, and developing practical solutions that can subsequently be integrated into the educational process.
One of the next stages of the project will be the development of a teaching guide for instructors and a micro-qualification program in nutrition. These materials are expected to help make nutrition education more structured, practice-oriented, and beneficial for future doctors, nurses, pharmacists, physical therapists, and other healthcare professionals.
UzhNU’s participation in the international NEHCP project demonstrates that the Ukrainian scientific and educational community is actively engaged in addressing pressing European challenges. Nutrition is increasingly viewed not only as a lifestyle element but also as an important tool for prevention, health promotion, and comprehensive patient care.
The third transnational meeting in Brandenburg served as a crucial step toward coordinating the partners’ future actions, exchanging experiences, and strengthening the role of universities in training a new generation of medical professionals. For UzhNU, this marks another step toward developing international cooperation, introducing innovations in education, and amplifying Ukraine’s voice in European scientific and educational initiatives.
