In a landmark visit this Fall semester, Florence University of the Arts (FUA) brought a delegation of nursing educators from Careggi University Hospital to Fairfield University in Connecticut to deepen the institutions’ connections to one another. The trip marked the first time a group from Careggi visited Fairfield during the institutions' multi-year collaboration. 

As a part of this relationship, Fairfield allows Sophomore nursing students to study abroad at FUA while taking a full nursing course load in addition to gaining clinical hours at Careggi Hospital. This program provides Fairfield students rare exposure to foreign healthcare systems. 

The trip stateside provided FUA and Careggi officials with a unique opportunity to see Fairfield's educational approach of healthcare education. 

“Our main goal was to exchange pedagogical methodologies to understand how nursing is taught and embraced abroad,” Health Sciences and Nursing Program Coordinator Sofia Galli explained.

At the start of the week, FUA and Careggi officials alike had the opportunity to attend nursing classes at Fairfield, which provided firsthand experience in Fairfield's nursing pedagogy to the group.

“It's always extremely interesting to see how you teach and you deliver healthcare so that is something that we want to keep pursuing,” Galli said.

The group also had the opportunity to meet with Fairfield's Dean of Nursing, Dr. Patricia Boyce, where they discussed the importance of the universities' collaboration.

“[Boyce] truly understands the significance of cultural heritage abroad, and she's willing to work towards the creation of ever more stimulating research, academic, and exchange projects,” Galli said.

As a part of this ongoing collaboration, FUA educators and nurse practitioners from Careggi Hospital had the opportunity to sit in on a state-of-the-art medical simulation. These simulations provide future healthcare workers with realistic experience in a controlled environment, allowing them to practice without harming patients. 

Additionally, during the week, the FUA and Careggi delegation had the opportunity to catch up with alumni from the Fairfield Abroad Nursing Program. Galli found meeting with the cohorts from 2024 and 2025 a meaningful opportunity to reminisce about the past while also speaking to prospective students. 

This trip allowed the FUA and Careggi delegation to strengthen ties with Fairfield University while gaining valuable insight into each other's educational models of nursing education. Through classroom visits, collaborative discussions, and hands-on simulation experiences, the delegation deepened their understanding of cross-cultural approaches to healthcare training. The visit reaffirmed the shared commitment between Fairfield, Careggi and FUA in fostering global perspectives in nursing education.