HEAL-D: Health Education for Advanced Learning in Digital Healthcare - XENIOS POLIS

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HEAL-D project arises from the urgent digital skills gap in Vocational Education and Training (VET) within the healthcare sectors of Albania and Kosovo. Despite the rapid spread of digital healthcare technologies—telemedicine, eHealth platforms, artificial intelligence for diagnostics, and digital patient management systems—VET systems in both countries remain ill-prepared to train health professionals for this digital era. Outdated curricula, limited educator expertise, and weak collaboration with industry have left graduates unready to meet the labor market demand, where over 70% of clinics seek digital health competences. This gap directly impacts healthcare delivery, particularly in rural areas, and undermines efforts toward European integration and resilience.

HEAL-D’s main goal is to modernize healthcare VET systems in Albania and Kosovo by introducing a technology-driven curriculum, equipping learners and educators with digital health skills, and fostering sustainable cooperation between EU and Western Balkan partners.

The project directly supports Erasmus+ priorities in capacity building for VET, digital transformation, work-based learning, and inclusive education.

More specifically, the project’s objectives are:

• To develop a modular, competency-based curriculum in telemedicine, AI in healthcare, and digital patient management aligned with EQF and ECVET standards.
• To train more than 100 learners and upskill over 50 VET educators through workshops, e-learning, and international exchanges.
• To create a Digital Health Learning Hub with open-access resources, virtual simulations, and gamified training.
• To strengthen institutional capacity and public-private cooperation by establishing at least five partnerships with healthcare providers and technology companies.
• To promote inclusiveness by ensuring training access for underserved rural populations and offering content in local languages.

Expected results include:

• Enhanced employability of healthcare graduates with up-to-date digital skills.
• Stronger VET institutions through trained educators and modernized curricula.
• Work-based learning opportunities such as telemedicine internships and apprenticeships.
• Policy recommendations to support systemic VET reforms and sustainable health education strategies in the Western Balkans.

HEAL-D includes 6 partners, BUPNET, XENIOS POLIS, UET, National Association of Public Health of Albania (NAPH), KPU, and AMECCR from Germany, Greece, Albania and Kosovo.