A two-day training mission held in Ljubljana (April 16-17) successfully brought together key stakeholders from North Macedonia and leading European research institutions, marking an important step toward strengthening national capacities in eHealth and participation in the EU4Health Programme.
The mission gathered decision-makers from the Ministry of Health of North Macedonia, the Macedonian Red Cross, and the national vendor Sorsix, alongside representatives from Faculty of Computer Science and Engineering (FCSE), Faculty of Medicine Skopje (FMN), Jožef Stefan Institute, and TU Graz. The event served as a platform for both knowledge exchange and strategic networking among policy, healthcare, and research actors.
The training was organized in collaboration with the National Institute of Public Health of Slovenia (NIJZ), where Hajdi Kosednar delivered key lectures on Slovenia’s advanced eHealth ecosystem and its effective integration within European frameworks. Participants had the opportunity to observe first-hand how digital health solutions are seamlessly implemented in practice.
A dedicated session led by Tadej Horvat provided an in-depth overview of data governance, regulatory compliance, and the practical implementation of the EU AI Act. These concepts were further illustrated through real-world use cases, including the ChatMED project and Slovenia’s HomeDoctor initiative, offering valuable insights into translating regulatory requirements into operational systems.
In addition, Primoz Kunaver highlighted key elements that enhance the competitiveness of project proposals, while Matjaz Gams emphasized the importance of research visibility and effective dissemination strategies in maximizing scientific and societal impact.
The training mission clearly demonstrated the maturity and efficiency of Slovenia’s eHealth infrastructure and reinforced the readiness of North Macedonia to adopt and adapt these best practices. Beyond its educational value, the event strengthened institutional collaboration and laid the groundwork for future joint initiatives.
The knowledge and connections established during this mission will contribute to advancing national strategies in digital health and increasing successful participation in European programmes, supporting long-term development in healthcare innovation.
Access to Training Materials
The presentations from the Ljubljana training mission are now available in the ChatMED Knowledge Repository:
- Training Session 2.2.1 – Data Ethics & Legislation
https://chatmed-project.eu/knowledge-repository/training-session-2-2-1-data-ethics-legislation/ - Training Session 2.2.2 – Database Management and Integration
https://chatmed-project.eu/knowledge-repository/training-session-2-2-2-database-management-and-integration/ - Training Session 2.2.3 – Importance of Publishing in High-Impact Journals
https://chatmed-project.eu/knowledge-repository/training-session-2-2-3-importance-of-publishing-in-high-impact-journals/ - Training Session 2.2.4 – Proposal Writing & Research Funding
https://chatmed-project.eu/knowledge-repository/training-session-2-2-4-proposal-writing-research-funding/ - Bonus Session – Slovenian eHealth System
https://chatmed-project.eu/knowledge-repository/training-session-2-2-bonus-slovenian-ehealth-system/
These resources are openly available to support further learning, institutional capacity building, and knowledge transfer in eHealth, EU4Health, research funding, and regulatory readiness.
