MaZaFi - Karelia-ammattikorkeakoulu

MaZaFi is a network of a Finnish consortium with two Malawian and two Zambian higher education institutions in health care, particularly nursing, public health nursing and midwifery. The consortium has received Erasmus+ International Credit Mobility (KA171) funding from the Finnish National Agency for Education since 2016 to support reciprocal student and staff exchanges and capacity building among the institutions. With minor changes, the network has worked together to enhance the quality of nursing education and enable professional development and multicultural understanding since 2005.

The participating institutions are:

Karelia University of Applied Sciences (Karelia), Joensuu, Finland (coordinator of the project)
Metropolia University of Applied Sciences (Metropolia), Helsinki, Finland
Riveria (vocational education and training), Joensuu, Finland
Kamuzu University of Health Sciences (KUHeS), Malawi
Daeyang University, Malawi
Lusaka College of Nursing and Midwifery (Lusaka), Zambia
Livingstone College of Nursing and Midwifery (Livingstone), Zambia

Current project funding

1.8.2022 – 31.7.2025; 1.8.2023 – 31.7.2026 / Erasmus+ KA171 International Credit Mobility

More information about the funding instrument:
Erasmus+ global mobility for higher education, general information
Erasmus+ ICM Handbook for Partner Countries
Erasmus Student Charter – your entitlements, obligations and duties as an Erasmus+ student before, during and after the mobility period!

Student and staff exchanges

The Erasmus+ project funds student and staff exchanges between higher education institutions in Finland and Malawi, and Finland and Zambia. The length of student exchanges is 2-3 months and the mobility periods can include studies and clinical practice. The staff exchanges normally last 7 – 14 days and consist of e.g. lectures, workshops, discussions and co-creation with colleagues.

The funding covers the costs of flight tickets, insurance, and living costs for incoming students and staff in Finland. Students with fewer opportunities (students with under-aged children, students in extreme poverty, orphans, and students with physical disabilities) may be eligible for a top-up grant.

This project does not fund Finnish students’ exchange periods to Malawi or Zambia. However, there are other funding options for them. More information is available at their home institution’s international office.

Students and staff members interested in the project should contact their home institution. The home institution coordinator informs about application times for exchange. After the internal selection, the home institution nominates the candidates to the partner university abroad. There is a separate application process for incoming exchange students to Karelia (link to Karelia’s website for incoming exchange students) and Metropolia (link to Metropolia’s website for incoming exchange students). The contact persons below support students in the application process and in preparations for the exchange period.

Contact persons

Karelia:
Katriina Korhonen, Erasmus Coordinator, Admin. coordinator of MaZaFi project, katriina.korhonen(at)karelia.fi
Antonia Stavridou, International Officer, mobility(at)karelia.fi
Kirsi Tanskanen, Lecturer, Departmental International Coordinator, kirsi.tanskanen(at)karelia.fi
Metropolia:
Katariina Alava, International Relations Advisor, katariina.alava(at)metropolia.fi
Aija Ahokas, Senior Lecturer, Manager of Education Export, aija.ahokas(at)metropolia.fi
Riveria:
Laura Häyhä and Eija Tuupanen-Laakkonen
KUHeS:
Dr Genesis Chorwe, Executive Dean, School of Nursing, gchorwe (at) kuhes.ac.mw
Daeyang University:
Esther Bauleni-Chaluka, Dean of Nursing, baulenie (at) dyuni.ac.mw
Hilda Kamera
Lusaka:
Priscar Sakala-Mukonka, Head, pmukonka(at)yahoo.com
Livingstone:
Loveness Moonde, Lecturer, livingstoneschoolofnursing(at)gmail.com