Representatives of the Faculty of Dental Medicine and Health Osijek participated in the international Erasmus+ Blended Intensive Programme (BIP), “Immediate Postpartum Care: Nutrition, Mental Health and Pelvic Floor,” held from 13 to 17 July 2026 at the Faculty of Physiotherapy and Nursing of the University of Castilla-La Mancha in Toledo.
The participation of the Osijek delegation reflects the Faculty’s continued commitment to internationalisation, the advancement of educational quality, and the active involvement of students and academic staff in European education programmes.
The programme was led by Professor Esmeralda Santacruz Salas, and the participation of FDMZ representatives built on an already well-established and successful partnership. This collaboration has created further opportunities for international student and staff mobility, as well as for the development of joint teaching, professional, and project-based activities.
The BIP brought together 51 participants from eight universities. Alongside representatives of the Faculty of Dental Medicine and Health Osijek, the programme welcomed students and academic staff from universities in Lithuania, Estonia, Poland, Cyprus, Mexico, and Spain.
Combining virtual and in-person activities, the programme focused on nutrition, pharmacotherapy during lactation, mental health, and pelvic floor recovery in the postpartum period. Its particular strength lay in its multidisciplinary approach and its ability to connect students and academic staff from a range of healthcare disciplines.
At the opening ceremony, participants were welcomed by Raúl Martín, Vice-Rector for International Policy and Global Partnerships at the University of Castilla-La Mancha. In his address, he emphasised the importance of academic cooperation, international engagement, and collaborative learning, while highlighting the role of European university alliances in fostering innovative educational and research initiatives.
Particular attention was given to the COLOURS European University Alliance, of which both the University of Castilla-La Mancha and Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek are members. Their membership in the same alliance further enhances opportunities for institutional cooperation, student and staff mobility, and collaboration between their faculties and other university units through joint educational, professional, and research initiatives.
