Saint Mary’s University Hosts Delegates from VIVES University of Applied Sciences for Benchmarking and Research Collaboration Meeting
Saint Mary’s University, through its University Research Center(URC), hosted a benchmarking and exploratory meeting with representatives from VIVES University of Applied Sciences, Belgium, on September 29, 2025. The meeting took place at the URC Office and forms part of the university’s broader strategy to expand international research linkages and foster collaborative initiatives that support faculty and student development.
The visiting delegates from VIVES were Ms. Joke Lippens, a researcher in Educational Technology and Professional Teaching, and Ms. Nele Vandeputte, Coordinator for Internationalisation in Health Care, Nursing, and Midwifery. Ms. Lippens is known for her work in integrating Extended Reality (XR) in STEM education and teacher training programs and serves as Coordinator of the XR-Academy. Ms. Vandeputte brings extensive experience in both clinical practice and higher education and currently leads internationalisation efforts for VIVES’ health sciences programs.
Discussions during the session focused on key aspects of institutional research practices at VIVES, including the nature and scope of research projects, implementation processes and durations, faculty remuneration structures, publication expectations, and the application and impact of research outcomes. Both institutions also shared insights into their respective ethical review processes and governance frameworks for ensuring research integrity and compliance.
Importantly, the meeting explored opportunities for future collaboration between Saint Mary’s University and VIVES, including the potential to conduct joint research projects involving students from both institutions. This initiative aims to promote intercultural academic exchange, strengthen student research capacity, and align both universities with international best practices in research engagement. Further discussions also covered the possibility of inviting VIVES faculty to serve as peer reviewers for the soon-to-be-launched Saint Mary’s University Institutional Online Journal.
Saint Mary’s University expresses its appreciation to Ms. Joke Lippens and Ms. Nele Vandeputte for their visit and for sharing valuable insights and expertise. The meeting marks a significant step toward deeper academic cooperation and demonstrates the university’s ongoing commitment to advancing research excellence through global collaboration.
Written by: Dr. Melanie G. Gurat, University Research Center Director
