• SIM4UE will create a common clinical simulation training model, co-funded by the EU under the Interreg programme

Seville, 1 October 2026

The Regional Ministry of the Presidency, Health and Emergencies of the Regional Government of Andalusia, through IAVANTE of the Progreso y Salud Foundation, today presented the European SIM4UE project in Seville, a cross-border cooperation initiative involving six organisations from Andalusia, Galicia and Portugal, which will run from 2026 to 2028.

SIM4UE has a total budget of €4.72 million and is co-funded by the European Union through the Interreg VI-A Spain-Portugal Programme (POCTEP 2021–2027). The launch event brought together representatives of the European Commission, the Spanish Programme Coordination Unit, the Regional Government of Andalusia, and the Spanish and Portuguese organisations involved in the project.

María José Sánchez, Director-General for Research, Innovation and Training at the Regional Ministry, said: “Clinical simulation and joint training will enable us to better prepare healthcare professionals and move towards a more coordinated and consistent cross-border response to emergencies and urgent care situations. Through this project, we aim to strengthen patient safety and improve the quality of healthcare.”

As part of the event, the ‘SIM4UE in Action’ activity provided a practical demonstration of how clinical simulation works. IAVANTE brought its mobile simulation unit to the event and recreated three adult, paediatric and obstetric and gynaecological emergency scenarios using clinical simulators and healthcare equipment.

The Andalusian Public Foundation Progreso y Salud coordinates SIM4UE as the lead beneficiary. The project also involves the University of Santiago de Compostela, Virgen del Rocío University Hospital, the Foundation for the Management of Health Research in Seville (FISEVI), Centro Hospitalar de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro and Coimbra University Hospital Centre.

Shared training for critical situations

Cross-border cooperation is one of the main strengths of SIM4UE. As part of the project, Spanish and Portuguese partners will share clinical scenarios, methodologies, teaching resources and best practices to develop a common training model that can be implemented across different centres and territories.

The participation of the Portuguese partners will bring to the project the clinical and teaching expertise of Centro Hospitalar de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro in pre-hospital urgent and emergency care, as well as that of Coimbra University Hospital Centre in hospital-based care.

On the Spanish side, Virgen del Rocío University Hospital and FISEVI will be responsible for training in obstetric emergencies and urgent care. The University of Santiago de Compostela will contribute its expertise in paediatric urgent and emergency care, as well as in assessing the impact of the training. In addition, the two Portuguese organisations, together with IAVANTE of the Progreso y Salud Foundation, will provide training for instructors.

This joint work will enable healthcare professionals from both countries to access clinical simulation training and train according to shared criteria and methodologies, helping them respond in a coordinated manner to critical situations, particularly in areas with limited access to this type of training or where such cases occur infrequently.

Source: Regional Ministry of the Presidency, Health and Emergencies of the Regional Government of Andalusia.