A consortium of excellence: six institutions, four countries

VITAL is carried forward by a consortium of excellence: six institutions from four countries, each bringing complementary strengths to the project. The consortium is coordinated by the Universidade de Santiago de Compostela (Spain) and includes INFOR Elea (Italy), Petre Shotadze Tbilisi Medical Academy and Business and Technology University (Georgia), and the Institute of Food Biotechnology and Genomics and Ivan Horbachevsky Ternopil National Medical University (Ukraine).

The Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, founded in 1495, leads project coordination as well as dissemination and sustainability, drawing on the expertise of its Faculty of Pharmacy and its Research Institute of Educational Sciences. INFOR Elea, an Italian training provider with nearly 30 years of experience in vocational education and executive training, leads the work on faculty leadership, soft skills and digital pedagogy.

In Georgia, Petre Shotadze Tbilisi Medical Academy leads the diagnosis of institutional needs and the building of competency foundations, while Business and Technology University – with more than 5,500 students and 150+ international projects – plays a cross-cutting role and leads the development of the VITAL peer-mentorship framework.

In Ukraine, the Institute of Food Biotechnology and Genomics of the National Academy of Sciences leads the strengthening of research capacity and academic mentorship, and Ternopil National Medical University leads outreach and integration within Ukrainian higher education institutions.

VITAL’s strength lies in the diversity and experience of its partners. The consortium is also committed to minimising its environmental impact by prioritising virtual communication and digital collaboration over unnecessary travel – reducing its carbon footprint while maximising global connectivity.