University College Dublin Professor Strengthens Nursing Research at Católica

What makes a visiting professorship truly impactful? More than lectures and workshops, it creates lasting connections, strengthens research capacity, and inspires new ways of thinking. This was precisely the outcome of Fiona Timmins’ visit to the Universidade Católica Portuguesa, as part of the Transform4Europe (T4EU) Visiting Professorship Programme.

Over two weeks, Fiona Timmins — Dean and Head of the School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Systems at University College Dublin — worked closely with doctoral students, researchers, and academic staff at Católica’s Lisbon headquarters and Porto campus.

The visit strengthened Católica’s research environment by fostering collaboration between doctoral students and academic staff, developing scientific writing skills, and opening new opportunities for international research partnerships.

“Beyond personal learning, the visit created opportunities to develop joint research interests and continue collaboration in the supervision of doctoral research,” highlights Sílvia Caldeira, faculty member and researcher at Católica’s Faculty of Health Sciences and Nursing and at the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Health.

The impact was particularly evident during the scientific writing training, which brought together 16 doctoral students, including two international mobility students. Beyond publication techniques, the training encouraged participants to think strategically about science communication and engagement with the international research community.

For doctoral student Teresa Vinagre, the experience was particularly significant:

‘I consider it to have been a truly transformative experience, not only because of the scientific quality of the training and Professor Fiona’s human approach, but also because of the impact it has had on the way I now view scientific writing. I am convinced that these learnings will accompany me throughout my doctoral journey and my future career as a researcher’.

Fiona Timmins’ keynote lecture at the 20th International Seminar on Nursing Research also provided valuable insight into the future of nursing education and research. By analysing publication trends in Portugal and at Universidade Católica Portuguesa, she highlighted the University’s growing international scientific profile and the alignment of its research with global priorities such as healthy ageing, digital health, sustainability, artificial intelligence, and community health.

Reflecting on the experience, Timmins emphasised the importance of international academic collaboration in preparing future healthcare professionals, “Our task as educators, practitioners, and leaders is to prepare nurses who are not only clinically proficient but also socially accountable, technologically literate, and globally conscious.”

The programme reflects the Transform4Europe Alliance’s commitment to creating meaningful international academic mobility. By connecting leading scholars with the university community, it enriches teaching and research while laying the foundations for sustainable, long-lasting collaborations.