iCREATE: Increasing Capacity for Injury Research in Eastern Europe project expands on seven successful years of building injury research and education capacity in the countries of Armenia, Georgia, and Moldova.
As part of our commitment to strengthening regional collaboration and academic development, the Department of Public Health at Babeș-Bolyai University, Faculty of Political, Administrative and Communication Sciences, in Cluj-Napoca, has offered short-term and semester-long training opportunities for students from project-partner countries.
Between February and April 2025, the Department of Public Health at Babeș-Bolyai University (UBB) in Cluj-Napoca hosted two trainees as part of the iCREATE project. One student from Georgia (Luka Nachkebia – read about his experience here) and one from Armenia (Hasmik Tshagharyan – read about her experience here) joined the department for a short-term research-focused training.
The trainee from Georgia developed a PhD thesis proposal on occupational injuries among healthcare workers, while the trainee from Armenia worked on a project proposal on road traffic safety. Both participants received mentoring and academic support in formulating their research questions, selecting appropriate methodologies, and planning the next steps toward implementation.
During their stay, both were registered as free-movers and enrolled in the “Violence and Injury Prevention” course, earning 6 ECTS credits. In addition, they had the opportunity to audit other classes and participate in the department’s academic life.
Upon returning to their home institutions, both trainees are encouraged to build on this experience by applying for iCREATE experiential learning projects, further strengthening cross-country collaboration in public health education and research.
From February to July 2025, one master’s student from Moldova (Daniela Ciobanu – read about her experience here) participated in a semester-long study exchange at the Department of Public Health, Babeș-Bolyai University (UBB), Cluj-Napoca, within the framework of the iCREATE project.
The student was fully enrolled in the Spring semester and attended five courses: Violence and Injury Prevention, Statistics, Foundations for Research Methods in Public Health, Program Development in Health Promotion and Communication, Healthcare Management.
Alongside coursework, the student focused on developing her PhD proposal on child injuries, benefiting from one-on-one mentoring and academic guidance throughout the semester.
This semester-long opportunity allowed for both academic and personal growth, and contributed to building stronger academic ties between institutions in the region, while promoting mobility and knowledge exchange in the field of public health.
Beyond their academic activities, the students also enjoyed their time in Cluj-Napoca—taking part in field visits, exploring the city’s vibrant cultural life, discovering the beautiful surroundings of Transylvania, and joining various events organized by the university and local community.