Leadership is one of the most highly valued skills for healthcare professionals to have by employers and in the healthcare system. For this reason, UIC Barcelona launched an innovative interuniversity teaching and research project in 2015 for lecturers teaching on the Bachelor’s degree in Nursing. The aim is to give them the resources and knowledge required so that they can train and give support to future nurses with leadership skills. Right from its inception, over thirty lecturers have participated in the Workshops on leadership training for nursing lecturers.

The direct and constant contact between the heads of the nursing department of the University and hospital centres, healthcare professionals and healthcare institutions has shown how important leadership skills are in the current healthcare context.

Beyond technical knowledge, future nurses also have to be good leaders. This means that they have to have interpersonal skills allowing them to work in a team, communication skills, the ability to generate impact and influence, to display emotional intelligence, to be capable of taking independent decisions and to develop critical thinking. The role of lecturers is key to helping students learn and develop these skills which make up leadership skills.

Thanks to the innovative project led by Dr Albert Gallart, Dr Encarna Rodríguez, Dr Marisa Martín and Dr Marian Cerezuela, the lecturers on the Bachelor’s degree will be able to work on and develop this aspect with their students which is so important for the profession. This is the first teaching and research project which aims to promote leadership amongst nursing students.