This international Nordic conference will address how specialized language learning can improve workforce integration, patient safety and care quality across Nordic healthcare systems. With a particular focus on immigrant healthcare professionals and students in Nordic countries, the event will examine evidence-based teaching strategies, course designs, assessment and new technology (including GenAI) to enhance language competence that matters in the workplace.
Healthcare professionals are understood broadly to include both qualified practitioners and those preparing to enter the profession. We therefore warmly welcome contributions addressing the language-learning and educational needs of immigrant healthcare students enrolled vocational education programmes (including videregående skoler) or higher education programmes.
The Nordic countries face growing needs to integrate immigrant healthcare workers. Investing in effective language training solutions supports inclusion and career progression. The conference will establish interdisciplinary collaboration to produce actionable recommendations for educators, employers and policy makers.
This is a Nordic conference, meaning that its focus is on the Nordic countries, the challenges they face in healthcare workforce integration, and the opportunities that language learning resources and initiatives offer in addressing these challenges. It aims to explore both shared challenges and country-specific approaches to language learning and education across the Nordic region. The Nordic region is understood here to include Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Åland, following the definition used by the Nordic Council of Ministers.
strengthen collaboration among researchers across the Nordic countries in the field of language learning and education for healthcare professionals and students
share research and practice on effective methods for teaching language (including informal language) and communicative skills essential for communication with patients;
showcase language course models, new educational resources, and curricula tailored to different healthcare professions (pharmacists, nurses, doctor assistants, caregivers, etc.);
present innovations in AI and ed-tech that support workplace language learning and assessment;
identify linguistic challenges encountered by immigrant professionals and students;
produce a set of recommendations and an open-access toolkit for Nordic stakeholders.
We gratefully acknowledge the financial support for this event provided by the Faculty of Humanities, Social Sciences and Education (HSL), UiT The Arctic University of Norway.