Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden visits RSU to learn about military medical training and meet Swedish students
On Wednesday, 21 October, Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden visited the Rīga Stradiņš University (RSU) Medical Education Technology Centre (METC). During the visit, the Crown Princess met with RSU management and Swedish students to learn about the university’s simulation-based medical education and military medical training opportunities. The visit highlighted the close cooperation in medical education and research that RSU and Sweden have developed over the last 35 years.
Crown Princess Victoria was welcomed by RSU Rector Prof. Aigars Pētersons, who provided an overview of the university’s development, international study environment and cooperation with Sweden. During the visit, the Crown Princess also met with Swedish students at RSU and heard about their experiences of studying in Latvia and the opportunities for professional development.
The Crown Princess then visited the military medical training area at the METC, where she learned about practical skills training and simulation technologies. Life-saving procedures, including techniques for controlling bleeding, were demonstrated.
Particular attention was paid to the immersive simulation environment, which makes it possible to recreate realistic emergency scenarios. The Crown Princess observed students carrying out practical tasks in a simulated emergency, providing assistance to casualties, making decisions under high-stress conditions and communicating structured information about patients’ conditions.
This type of training allows students to develop their medical skills, teamwork and ability to make quick decisions in critical situations in a safe environment.
Cooperation between RSU and Sweden began in 1991, when the university enrolled its first student from Sweden. RSU currently has 12,600 students, including more than 3,200 international students from 82 countries. Sweden is the largest country of origin among RSU’s international students, with 1,048 Swedish students currently enrolled at the university: 971 studying medicine and 77 studying dentistry.
This cooperation extends beyond studies. RSU implements joint research projects with Swedish universities and scientific institutions, including Karolinska Institutet. RSU is involved in 26 joint research projects with Swedish partners, and nine members of the university’s academic staff are from Sweden.
At the RSU Medical Education Technology Centre, modern simulation technologies help future and current healthcare professionals develop their practical skills and prepare to provide safe, high-quality patient care. Crown Princess Victoria’s visit highlighted the close cooperation between RSU and Sweden, while providing an opportunity to showcase developments and innovations in medical education in Latvia.
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