Career Concerns
Featured Student-centered Learning (SCL) in Georgia and Its Effect on the Career Success View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Natia Gegelashvili
After joining the Bologna Process in 2005, one of the main challenges for Georgian higher education was integrating student-centered learning (SCL). Although there is no single definition, SCL broadly aims to create a learning environment tailored to students’ well-being, interests, and abilities. According to the Leuven/Louvain-la-Neuve Communiqué, SCL helps students develop skills needed for a dynamic labor market. This study develops a conceptual framework based on a narrative literature review and qualitative research involving academic staff. The findings suggest that SCL is closely linked to student and academic staff well-being. When genuinely implemented, it enhances students’ motivation, emotional well-being, and sense of autonomy—factors that are essential for long-term career success. The study highlights the need to view student-centered learning not only as a teaching strategy but also as a foundation for student well-being and future professional development.
Emotional Intelligence and Self-Awareness: Foundations for Effective Leadership in Healthcare and Organisational Settings
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Leila Karimi
Emotional Intelligence (EI) has emerged as a key predictor of effective leadership and well-being, particularly in high-pressure environments such as healthcare and human services. This paper explores the core dimensions of EI, including self-awareness, self-regulation, and empathy, and their influence on leadership capability, team dynamics, and resilience. Drawing on multidisciplinary models and empirical findings, we present strategies to enhance EI among professionals, with a focus on gender and cultural considerations. Practical applications for leadership development and workforce training are discussed, offering actionable insights for improving psychological safety, decision-making, and organisational outcomes.
Co-Creating Innovation through Ideation: A Gamified Method for Engaging Experts in the Design of Solutions for Health System Challenges View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Maria Van Zeller, Mariana Magalhães
This study explores the potential of a gamified and participatory approach in the collective ideation process for improving the Portuguese National Health Service. Through a card-based simulation game, designed around real-life challenges faced by the healthcare system, experts from different fields were invited to co-create solutions to complex and multidimensional challenges. The main objective was to evaluate how the playful dynamic contributed to participant engagement and the fluidity of the discussion (R.Q.1), as well as to analyze whether the participatory process enabled the identification of innovative solutions with practical potential within the Portuguese National Health Service (R.Q.2). The workshop was designed based on qualitative and quantitative methodologies, combining content analysis of the proposed solutions, and statistical analysis of their incidence by thematic cluster and types of care (R.Q.3). The emerging discussion was also used to identify limitations of the collaborative process (R.Q.4). The results indicate that gamification had a positive impact on the level of participation and creativity, fostering an open and stimulating environment to discuss healthcare solutions. Relevant and diverse solutions were generated, with a special focus on organizational behaviors and digital technologies applied to primary and hospital care. Several proposals integrated information technologies to support communication, self-care, and health education strategies designed to vulnerable or low-literacy populations. The implications of this work suggest that playful and participatory approaches can play a valuable role in co-creation processes for health policies and services, fostering innovation aligned with real systemic challenges.
