SETU leads major international health tech education project
Principal Investigator of the AM-Heal project at SETU, David Alarco. Photo: Patrick Browne
South East Technological University (SETU) is coordinating AM-Heal, a two-year, €400,000 Erasmus+ partnership designed to strengthen Additive Manufacturing (AM) skills for healthcare and rehabilitation.
Working with partners in Spain, Malta and Ukraine, SETU is leading AM-Heal to develop and deliver a Level 9 Micro-Credential, which will build digital skills and professional competencies at the intersection of AM and rehabilitation.
A spokesperson for SETU said the programme will be delivered through a blended approach, combining online learning via a multilingual e-learning platform along with hands-on training in partner facilities.
A dedicated 3D printing training hub in Kyiv will also be established to strengthen local capacity and support skills development linked to rehabilitation and recovery.
Through the Department of Engineering Technology at SETU’s Cork Road Campus, the University will guide the consortium process to define and validate the shared micro-credential specifications in line with European micro-credential principles.
Each of the partner higher-education institutions will deliver the micro-credential locally and award it under its own academic regulations and quality assurance procedures, ensuring consistent content while supporting local certification pathways across the consortium.
Announcing the project, Principal Investigator of AM-Heal at SETU, David Alarco, explained the project will build expertise in design, materials and workflows along with equipping learners with the knowledge required to apply AM effectively in rehabilitation contexts.
The project will also produce open-access educational materials and research-informed policy recommendations to support safe and ethical adoption of AM in medical education and professional training.
“AM-Heal aims to strengthen professional education at the intersection of additive manufacturing and healthcare," said Mr Alarco.
"Through a shared micro-credential and practical training, we want to support cross-sector collaboration, build capability, and help accelerate the safe, effective use of AM in rehabilitation and clinical education,” he added Mr Alarco.
He went on to comment: "This project builds on SETU’s additive manufacturing education capacity developed through the HCI-funded AMASE programme [2020–2025], in collaboration with SEAM and Design+ technological gateways."
"The existing 3D Lab in the Engineering, Technology and Research (ETRC) Centre at SETU’s Cork Road Campus in Waterford supports applied learning and project work in advanced manufacturing,” said Mr Alarco.
The project consortium brings together SETU, PODOGLOBAL (ES), Associació Meraki Projectes de València (ES), Borys Grinchenko Kyiv Metropolitan University (UA), and the University of Malta (MT).
