Oxford Brookes Symposium celebrates UK-Sweden Collaborations in Social Care Nursing Research

Oxford Brookes University hosted an international research symposium celebrating over two decades of impactful collaboration with Kristianstad University, Sweden.

The event featured presentations from the Children’s and Young People’s Health in Social Context (Cyphisco) research group from Kristianstad University and researchers from the Oxford Brookes Centre for Healthcare Research, part of the Oxford Institute of Applied Health Research.​

A History of Collaborative Endeavours

The partnership between Oxford Brookes and Kristianstad University began in the early 2000s when Professor Pernilla Garmy, then a PhD student, visited Oxford Brookes to enhance her English skills. During her stay, she reached out to the social care research team to learn more about their work, initiating a fruitful collaboration that has expanded over the years. Through this relationship, Prof. Pernilla Garmy and Dr Sarah Bekaert of Oxford Brookes collaborate on joint research projects, student exchanges, and co-authored publications, focusing on their shared expertise in public health issues impacting school-age children and adolescents.

In 2023, a student exchange programme commenced, supported by, Ms Jennifer Kirman, Principal Lecturer of Student Experience at Oxford Brookes, allowing postgraduate nursing students from both institutions to gain international experience and broaden their academic perspectives. The following year, Dr Bekaert and Dr Georgia Cook from Oxford Brookes received funding through a Swedish national grant to visit Sweden and Prof. Garmy’s team, further solidifying the research ties between the two universities.​

The collaborative efforts between Oxford Brookes and Kristianstad University have led to several novel research findings increasing our understanding of how children and adolescents experience pain and stress. Notably, research into adolescents' experiences revealed that pain and stress manifest not only physically but also emotionally, which affect not only their sleep but also their daily functioning and school performance. 

Highlights from the Symposium

Professor Lorraine Dixon, Director of the Oxford School of Nursing and Midwifery opened the event, followed by a series of insightful presentations covering a diverse range of topics. 

From Kristianstad University, Early Career Researchers and PhD students contributed valuable research: Dr Gita Hedin (Senior Lecturer in Public Health) discussed Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)-based support for adolescent sleep issues, Ann-Sofi Ellertsson (PhD student and Lecturer in Nursing) presented on early intervention for disruptive sleep patterns, and Maria Niinimaa (PhD student and Lecturer in Nursing) explored the connection between existential loneliness and mental health/substance use in adolescents.

Oxford Brookes University speakers shared their expertise: Dr Julie Cooke (Senior Lecturer in Adult Nursing) presented findings on preparing student nurses for nursing home placements, while Dr Liz Jestico (Senior Lecturer in Children's Nursing) examined the role of social networks in supporting parents of children with cancer. Finally, Diana Yardley (Advanced Nurse Practitioner) from Oxford University Hospitals showcased the experiences of paediatric diabetes professionals in safeguarding and child protection.

Reflecting on the day and the strong partnership between the two universities, Professor Pernilla Garmy remarked, "What a fantastic day! It was so great to see all the amazing collaborative research being shared. You can really feel the passion from both Oxford Brookes and Kristianstad university to understanding and improving the health and well-being of children and young people. And honestly, the lively discussions all day just show how strong and exciting this partnership is – I can't wait to see what comes next!"  

Future work

Early this year, Professor Pernilla Garmy and Dr Sarah Bekaert took on joint editorial leadership of the Journal of Research in Nursing, published by SAGE, marking a significant milestone in their collaborative work and shared dedication to advancing nursing research. As Professor Garmy explains, “What drew us both to this journal was that every original article has a commentary published alongside to help readers answer the question of ‘so what?’—to help them digest the article, understand its impact, and how it fits into the bigger picture.”

Building on their shared passion and years of collaboration, Professor Pernilla Garmy and Dr Sarah Bekaert are also co-authoring a book chapter exploring the pain experience in children and adolescents, due to be published this autumn. Reflecting on the project, Dr Bekaert shared, “We’ve seen just how deeply children and young people understand and express pain—not just physically, but emotionally and socially. This chapter brings together that research in a way that we hope will be both meaningful and practical for professionals working with young people every day.”

With such exciting projects underway and a strong foundation already in place, the future looks bright for even more joint research focused on improving the health and well-being of children and adolescents around the world.