Partnership between Edinburgh Napier University and charity Newborns Vietnam is a finalist in the PraxisAuril Knowledge Exchange (KE) Awards 2022
The project, which began in 2018, has led to the development of a 16-week neonatal training programme, which aims to empower and upskill nurses at a hospital in Hanoi.
This teaching provides staff with crucial in-depth knowledge about theory and evidence-based practice, enhancing their confidence and improving their communication and leadership.
Maggie Reid, Business Development and Relationship Manager at Edinburgh Napier University, who supported the coordination of the knowledge exchange activities, said: “Since launching the partnership and education programme, we have witnessed a reduction in infection rates, an improvement in infection control practices, and most importantly, a 42.2% reduction in infant mortality at the VNC hospital and it continues to reduce as we teach.
“To date, over 70 nurses have taken part in the programme, and are finding their voice and have become excellent advocates for the babies in their care. They say this course has given them not only knowledge and deeper understanding, but also the confidence to speak up in the best interest of the babies and their families.
“In a very short time, these nurses have flourished through education and are making a real difference and have ensured there are systematic changes in clinical practice to the benefit of the baby and mother. These shared efforts for positive change have also received recognition from the Ministry of Health in Vietnam.
“This collaboration and the projects that stem from it, really highlight the power of partnerships and the importance of the role of the knowledge exchange professional in allowing this partnership to realise its objectives. The positive societal impact of knowledge exchange cannot be underplayed.”
The PraxisAuril KE Awards celebrate the people who initiate and deliver impact from research through a diverse range activities.
Edinburgh Napier has been shortlisted in the Place-based Knowledge Exchange Initiative of the Year category, an award that recognises the success of a place-based KE initiative which demonstrates the value it can have locally. This award also highlights and acknowledges the importance of the KE teams that support the academics and industry partners to realise these projects.
Linda Wallace, Head of Knowledge Exchange at Edinburgh Napier University said: “This knowledge exchange partnership has been a real success story for Edinburgh Napier and has demonstrated the wide reach and positive impact our knowledge exchange activities and partnerships can have on a global scale.
“This project supports Edinburgh Napier’s mission to advance knowledge and deliver impact that influences professional practice and policy and drives key societal change. We are delighted that since this KE partnership was initially established, we have secured further KE projects, with a further three neonatal courses in the pipeline and two more within midwifery.
“The success of this knowledge exchange model has allowed other academics and leadership teams at Edinburgh Napier to see the impact and benefits knowledge exchange projects can make to the individual, the school and the institution, as well as those within their community and further afield. We are delighted this project is receiving national recognition by being shortlisted for a PraxisAuril KE Award.”
The KE Awards are supported by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and work with Government Office for Technology Transfer (GOTT), the TenU, the National Centre for Universities and Business (NCUB) and SETsquared to increase support and publicity for the important and impactful achievements of the KE profession.
The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony that will celebrate and showcase the KE sector in Manchester on 29 November 2022.