By LONG Yun & BI Weizi

Finnish scholar Maritta Vaelimaeki, director of the Evidence-based Research Center of Xiangya School of Nursing, Central South University (CSU), is the first foreign nursing expert in Hunan to receive the 2022 Chinese Government Friendship Award, in recognition of her contributions to nursing advancement and international collaboration.

▲ Professor Maritta Vaelimaeki. (COURTESY PHOTO)

Vaelimaeki specializes in evidence-based research, practice, and teaching, focusing on developing user-centered technological solutions and evaluating their effectiveness across clinical settings. In a recent interview with Science and Technology Daily, she described receiving the award as a "great honor."

从青年旅行到深度融入：三十余年的中国情缘

In 1987, shortly after graduating, Vaelimaeki backpacked across China for two months. Captivated by the country's landscapes and culture, she vowed to return. Three decades later, she fulfilled that dream, amazed by China’s rapid modernization and infrastructural transformation.

Despite sweeping changes, she found the Chinese people remained warm, diligent, and respectful—qualities she deeply values. Their drive to learn and innovate continues to inspire her professional work in China.

推动护理国际化，传播中国声音

Vaelimaeki has strengthened academic ties between CSU’s Xiangya School of Nursing and Finland’s University of Turku, advancing postgraduate course sharing, joint training, and cross-border exchanges. She initiated a bilateral nursing education project involving 14 universities—nine from China and five from Finland—fostering academic networks and methodological exchange.

To enhance global visibility, she led the development of an international English website for the Xiangya School of Nursing, actively promoting it to overseas institutions. Through these efforts, she amplifies China’s achievements in healthcare, including its effective pandemic response, to an international audience.

She also expressed appreciation for the support she received from CSU students during the pandemic, which helped her adapt to evolving protocols.

关注心理健康，探索科技赋能

Vaelimaeki is deeply engaged in leveraging technology to address mental health challenges, particularly among healthcare workers. She emphasizes the importance of contextual understanding and rigorous research in developing digital mental health tools.

Her work focuses on stress impacts across age groups, especially youth and the elderly. She aims to collaborate with local Chinese networks to co-develop innovative, technology-driven solutions for mental well-being.

This article is also contributed by CSU.

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Editor | SONG Ziyan

Supervisor | TIAN Xueke