International Courses

A Neonatal Intensive Care 

On September 18-20, 2023, we held a unique and exciting course on neonatal intensive care in collaboration between the Rosena Project and the simulation center in the nursing department of the college, for nurses and staff in the neonatal intensive care unit at Al-Ahli Hospital in Hebron.
We consulted with leading experts in the north and developed a program according to the requests of the Rosena Project (the mission of the Rosena Project is to create pathways for peace between Israel and Palestine – it is a community health initiative, highly faith-based, with American funding).
Ten staff members from the neonatal department joined us, including a head nurse with 16 years of experience, eight nurses, and one nurse with less than three years of experience. The content and simulations were presented in English at their request. Most of the content was delivered in spoken Arabic by the lecturers, with translation provided as needed, and it was evident that they found it easier in spoken Arabic. The course included theoretical material taught in a basic neonatal course and practice of clinical skills with leading experts in the field of neonatology, including medical and nursing staff. We shared information about various working processes, and the parties drew conclusions and insights for future improvements in the work. These were educational and empowering days for us; we had the privilege of meeting people from the other side who believe in the right to life and the provision of care.
“The course is fun and full of information … New and different and we will try to apply it in our department, and it was more practical than theoretical.”
“An enjoyable course in which theoretical and practical learning were combined and some questions that aroused controversy were answered.”
“It was a great experience; learn new and important skills I’ll share them to my colleagues in our unit.”
“It was an enjoyable and useful experience that we hope will be repeated and benefit other teams”.
Dr. Ofra Halperin  Head of the Nursing Department
ofrah@yvc.ac.il
Mrs. Oshrat Shmuel-Nir
Simulation Center Manager
oshras@yvc.ac.il

 

International Collaboration in a New Course at YVC: Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Health
Startup Camp One Health is a unique course created by a collaboration between Max Stern Yezreel Valley College in Israel and Neu-Ulm University of Applied Sciences in Germany. The program is based on the Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) approach, which connects courses from academic institutions in different countries through joint online, project-based learning. This method enables students and faculty from around the world to collaborate, exchange ideas, and gain a rich, international experience.
The course is co-taught by instructors from Israel, Dr. Clara Rispler, and Germany, Prof. Silvia Straub, and is offered as part of the European Union’s ERASMUS+ Blended Intensive Course program, with support from the International Office at Yezreel Valley College. This year, the course will be conducted fully online, utilizing advanced digital platforms for collaborative learning. In the future, short-term in-person meetings are planned, allowing students to participate in intensive international sessions in the partner countries.
In the 2024/25 academic year, 50 students are participating: 25 from the master’s in health systems management at Yezreel Valley College and 25 from the master’s in digital medicine and nursing management at Neu-Ulm University. The course offers exposure to global perspectives, opportunities to connect with international peers interested in health innovation and entrepreneurship, and a chance to deepen knowledge in digital health innovation, medical startups, and new ventures in the health sector.
Students work in diverse international teams from day one, engaging in interactive activities and practical projects that foster creative ideas. Importantly, as preparation for the changing world of work, they develop entrepreneurial and managerial skills that will help them succeed in their future careers, all in English. Upon completion, participants receive a certificate.

Dr. Clara Hope Rispler
Department of MA Studies in Organizational Development and Consulting
Department of Human Services
The Max Stern Yezreel Valley College
clararispler.com