Erasmus+ Staff Exchange: Sharing Perspectives on Patient Safety Between Finland and Cyprus
In autumn 2025, we had the opportunity to visit the Department of Nursing, School of Health Sciences, Cyprus University of Technology (CUT) in Limassol through an Erasmus+ staff exchange. Our connection with the university began when their lecturer, Dr Maria Dimitriadou from CUT, spent time at our department during her own Erasmus+ visit. She had a strong interest in patient safety and how it is taught in Finland. We promised to return the visit one day—and thanks to Erasmus+ funding, that promise finally became reality.
We travelled to Cyprus at the perfect time of year. While autumn had already settled in back home, Cyprus was still warm, and the sea inviting. We embraced this luxury fully, starting nearly every morning with a swim and occasionally ending the day with another dip at sunset. There was something about floating in the calm sea that sparked creativity; ideas flowed effortlessly, and we joked that perhaps this should become our new research brainstorming method.
During our visit, we gave lectures Masters’ and Doctoral students on various patient safety topics—areas in which Finland has progressed further in development. Concepts such as the second victim phenomenon, referring to the support professionals need after adverse events, were new to many students and sparked lively interest. We also introduced text-mining methods we have used to analyse incident reports, another fresh perspective for them. It was inspiring to see a large group of students stay engaged during evening lectures and ask thoughtful questions afterwards.
We also had the chance to observe teaching. One particularly memorable session involved a lived-experience expert participating in a simulation on how to meet a psychiatric patient during a clinical encounter. The expert shared valuable insights on how to approach patients with empathy and how to address even the most difficult topics openly and safely.
Our trip also served as a springboard for future collaboration for our colleagues in our department and for ourselves. We began planning a joint funding application, which now looks likely to result in two EU project proposals. As a result of networking in Cyprus, one of our colleagues in Finland got recruited as a keynote speaker at a forthcoming conference in Cyprus! The door remains wide open for further cooperation.
Overall, the visit was a great success. We were able to reconnect with colleagues from previous collaborations and get a glimpse of local life in Cyprus. Even though we worked every day, the trip still felt like a rewarding break—something between professional development and a well-earned retreat. We encourage everyone to take the leap and explore the world. You never know what adventures await or what connections may shape your future.
A warm thank you to our University of Eastern Finland and department for the support and for making this opportunity possible.
Marja Härkänen and Tiina Syyrilä
Many thanks to the great collaborators at CUT and the Erasmus office in Limassol, among others, during our exchange period on 15th – 19th September 2025
- Dr Maria Dimitriadou, our host at CUT
- Nicos Middleton, BSc MSc PhD Associate Professor Health Research Methodology & Biostatistics
- Dr Elena Rousou, Assistant Professor of Community Nursing
- Konstantinos Karseras Erasmus International Mobility Office
- Dr Angelos Kassianos, Lecturer in Psychology
- Master’s and Doctoral students at CUT
