Advancing Higher Education through Digital Innovation and Smart Technologies (AHEDIS)

AHEDIS is an Erasmus+ Capacity Building in Higher Education (CBHE) project that supports the digital transformation of healthcare-related higher education in the Western Balkans—specifically in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro. It focuses on modernising teaching and learning with advanced digital tools (including AI-enabled approaches), strengthening institutional capacity, and aligning curricula and skills with real needs in healthcare systems and the labour market.

At its core, AHEDIS aims to (1) upskill academic staff in contemporary digital pedagogy and technologies, (2) update and modernise healthcare curricula using innovative learning models such as flipped classroom and digitally supported lab teaching, (3) strengthen digital infrastructure at partner institutions (e.g., teaching/recording equipment and digital tools for healthcare education), and (4) offer lifelong learning (LLL) opportunities tailored to healthcare professionals and industry needs—helping translate academic innovation into improved professional practice.

HEDIS is structured around the principle “education – transformation – innovation.” In practice, this means that capacity development starts with targeted training and mentoring for higher-education staff, then moves into institutional uptake (methods, governance, infrastructure), and ultimately supports sustained innovation through continuing education offers and stronger cooperation between academia, healthcare providers, and industry. The project methodology is organised through multiple work packages that cover management and dissemination as well as needs analysis, course development, implementation, and quality/sustainability mechanisms. 

A key educational driver is the introduction of innovative pedagogical models (notably flipped classroom approaches) and improved use of digital learning environments (e.g., learning management systems), combined with updated course content in digital health and advanced technologies. In the short term, AHEDIS targets measurable improvements such as trained teaching staff, upgraded learning infrastructure, and enhanced course modules with modern didactics and tools. In the medium to long term, it aims to embed a “train-the-trainer” effect, expand modernised course offerings after the project ends, improve inclusion (e.g., better accessibility and options for remote learners), and strengthen regional cooperation and internationalisation—supporting resilience and employability in the healthcare sector