The University of Zielona Góra has joined the educational program "Direction – Medical Nutrition." We are the eighth university in the country to sign an agreement with the Nutricia Foundation, thereby committing to conducting classes in nutritional therapy. Thanks to this agreement, the Medical Simulation Center at Collegium Medicum will receive specialized educational equipment. Students will have access to training mannequins for enteral nutrition (both pediatric and adult models) as well as simulation suits designed to mimic obesity and the sensory experiences of aging.
The training equipment will allow our students to gain practical knowledge in assessing nutritional status and implementing nutritional therapy in various clinical situations. Medical and nursing students will benefit from this equipment. "The Nutricia Foundation program provides crucial educational support for our students in the field of nutritional therapy. Through both theoretical and practical classes, they will not only acquire solid foundational knowledge but also develop the skills necessary to implement effective nutritional treatment in different clinical cases. It is important to remember that nutritional therapy plays a key role in oncology, geriatrics, and intensive care, among others.
As a relatively young medical and healthcare education program, we greatly appreciate that such a prestigious organization is willing to collaborate with us. I hope our students will gain valuable experience in something that might seem obvious—how to properly nourish and provide dietary care for sick patients. The specialized and professional nutritional approach offered by the Nutricia Foundation serves as the best possible training tool to prepare our students for their future careers," said Prof. Wojciech Strzyżewski, Rector of the University of Zielona Góra.
The equipment provided by the Nutricia Foundation ensures that students gain knowledge not only through lectures but also through multisensory learning. "This experience will help our students better understand patients' perspectives and effectively apply the principles of nutritional therapy in daily clinical practice. By joining this program, we will implement a structured curriculum with the appropriate number of hours and topics, all under the supervision of experts in the field," emphasized Prof. Marcin Zaniew, Vice-Rector for Collegium Medicum at the University of Zielona Góra.
Students of the University of Zielona Góra will start using the specialized equipment from the new academic year. The agreement between the university and the Nutricia Foundation is also welcomed by the authorities of the Karol Marcinkowski University Hospital in Zielona Góra. Qualified graduates with additional skills will join the hospital and its associated nutrition clinic. "We have many patients, both in hospital wards and at home, who rely on this type of nutrition. Since 2021, we have been a certified hospital in the field of good nutritional practices. Two years later, our certification was renewed, which also contributes to our ministerial accreditation points. I am pleased that this agreement has been signed and that such well-prepared graduates will be joining us," said Dr. Marek Działoszyński, President of the University Hospital in Zielona Góra.
Nutritional therapy is a specialized approach recommended for all patients at risk of malnutrition or already experiencing it. Statistics show that this issue often goes unnoticed, yet its consequences are serious and widespread, ranging from postoperative complications to prolonged recovery. Often, at the time of hospital admission, 30-55% of patients are already malnourished, and the condition of another 30% deteriorates during hospitalization. "We are pleased that the University of Zielona Góra is joining our program. The equipment we have provided includes, among other things, mannequins. Students of Collegium Medicum UZ will use them to learn practical skills, such as how to insert a nasogastric tube, how to administer a specialized diet through a feeding tube, and how to properly maintain this equipment. This is knowledge that students have not had the opportunity to acquire in a practical way until now, but now it will be possible," explains Anna Cywińska, President of the Nutricia Foundation.
On the occasion of signing the agreement between our university and the Nutricia Foundation, a special exhibition titled "Faces of Support in Illness" was officially opened. The exhibition features examples of medical nutrition equipment and photographs of individuals who have benefited from this form of treatment.
One of the key figures in the exhibition is Adrian Witczak, a Member of the Polish Parliament, chairman of the Parliamentary Team for Nutritional Therapy, and a member of the Parliamentary Health Committee. "I have been living with Crohn’s disease since 2005. I have undergone several intestinal resections, and thanks to enteral feeding through a tube, I am able to function today. Through this exhibition and program, we aim to highlight the importance of education on medical nutrition and raising awareness—both among students and healthcare professionals. Medical staff must ensure that patients receive specialized therapy and proper nutrition. It’s like a car—it won’t run without fuel. Similarly, a patient cannot fight disease without adequate nutrition," says MP Adrian Witczak.
The exhibition "Faces of Support in Illness" can be viewed in the lobby of Building A-29 (ground floor) on Campus A. According to the organizers, the exhibition will travel to all medical universities in the country by the end of June. At the University of Zielona Góra, it will be available until March 28.
