Sheila Cunningham

Dr. Sheila Cunningham is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Adult, Child & Midwifery at Middlesex University, within the College of Health and Education. She is an active academic staff member with a strong focus on nursing education, clinical learning, and international collaboration. Her work spans pedagogical innovation, intercultural simulation, and quality assurance in healthcare traineeships.

Research Interests: Dr. Cunningham's research centers on nursing education, with key interests in inclusive teaching, work-based learning, internationalization of curricula, and clinical skills development. She explores how collaborative online international learning (COIL), intercultural simulations, and global partnerships enhance student learning and professional readiness. Her work emphasizes equity, diversity, and quality in clinical placements and nursing programs.

The recent publications of Dr. Cunningham reflect a consistent focus on educational innovation in nursing. Themes include intercultural simulation (e.g., GNurseSim), collaborative international classrooms, quality assurance in internships, and inclusive pedagogy. Her work bridges theory and practice, often involving co-creation with students and international partners, and contributes significantly to the scholarship of teaching and learning in health professions.

Scientific Contributions:

• Extensive publications in journals such as Nurse Education in Practice, Journal of Educational Innovation, Partnership and Change, and Advances in Online Education.
• Editor of the book Dimensions on Nursing Teaching and Learning (Springer, 2020).
• Lead and co-author of multiple book chapters on clinical skills and nursing pedagogy with Routledge.
• Active involvement in EU-funded projects focused on healthcare education quality and simulation.

Advising and Grants: Dr. Cunningham has supervised research and contributed to work-based learning initiatives, including evaluating Erasmus exchanges and student volunteering programs. She has been involved in grant-funded projects such as HEALINT4ALL, focusing on quality assurance in healthcare traineeships, and GNurseSim, an intercultural simulation project. While specific grant amounts are not listed, her leadership in international consortia indicates successful collaborative funding acquisition.

Labs and Teams: Dr. Cunningham collaborates with international research teams across Europe, including partners in Finland, Spain, and Italy. She works within multidisciplinary teams on EU educational projects, contributing to virtual teaching packages and intercultural simulation tools. Her work is embedded in academic-practice partnerships, ensuring relevance to real-world healthcare education challenges.