CEU University community, supportive, takes part in voluntary projects during COVID-19 crisis

During these weeks of uncertainty, students of CEU university centres have had to adapt to online classes and confinement at home. But they are not oblivious to the difficulties experienced by society.

Solidarity and volunteer projects are part of the DNA of CEU Universities. They represent a way of gaining highly valuable experiences both at a professional and personal level as well as contributing to the improvement of society. Therefore, at this very time of difficulties, our students have continued to offer their talent and enthusiasm to help in everything necessary. Because #EstamosJuntosEnEsto.

CEU Universities have fully supported healthcare professionals

Fifth and sixth-year students of Medicine at Universidad CEU Cardenal Herrera volunteered even before healthcare authorities asked for last year university students to strengthen healthcare centres. Without doubt, vocation but also spirit of service have motivated these students to offer themselves as a resource in the actual healthcare crisis we are undergoing.

Also six nursing professors at Elche campus of CEU UCH work on the front line of different hospitals in Alicante. They combine their healthcare activity, as important as ever, with the educational one. Through the different online channels made available by CEU Universities to its academic community to carry on with the course, these professors continue teaching their subjects, enriching them with the experience at the forefront of the battle against coronavirus.

Our teachers are very clear about the fact that to be able to face pandemics as this one in the future, it will be very necessary to invest on education. Subjects related to infections and prevention will be protagonists in the next years. Also, the analysis with students of how this crisis has been managed will be, without doubt, a learning task to highlight the value of nursing and will represent a very positive learning experience.

These professors agree that, looking on the bright side of this social and sanitary crisis, Nursing, Medicine and other highly vocational healthcare degree students will end up with a stronger motivation and with even more interest in joining the professional environment.

Moreover, as per Nursing, it is a recognised and homologated title worldwide. For this reason, it opens doors to international professional experiences of great interest. It is a very high quality education, highly valued in countries such as Finland, Germany and the UK.

The importance of caring also for mental health

But there are also other initiatives such as for example that of Universidad CEU Abat Oliba. Its therapeutic Unit of Psychological Assistance intends to play its part at this time of healthcare emergency. Therefore with the “UTAP Contigo” project backed by Hospital Universitario Sagrat Cor, it offers short videos with relaxing exercises and self-care guidelines. The aim is to help healthcare and non-healthcare professionals at hospitals to face situations from the psychological point of view.

We have no doubt that this experience will strengthen CEU educational community. We continue working on our day to day for our students to finish the year with total learning and appraisal guarantees with the firm conviction that together we will overcome this crisis.