From Challenge to educational collaboration focusing on Laughter as Therapy
The cooperation with Clowndoctors exemplifies the ENLIGHT spirit: combining academic expertise with external partners’ experience to generate real societal impact. What began as a challenge has grown into an international collaboration that connects universities, medical professionals, and artists across Europe.
How it began
The story started in 2021 with a challenge that the Slovak Clowndoctors highlighted: need to explore the role of humor and empathy in healthcare.
Mutual introduction & context sharing
One representative from the Clowndoctors participated in an ENLIGHT Regional Academy event and met academics from ENLIGHT universities. Differtent types of meetings have led till Common ground identification.
Shaping collaboration
The joint efforts led to co-arrangement of workshops in collaboration with the Faculty of Medicine at Comenius University and the Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin, targetting students and professionalls.
Overlap & opportunity review: In 2025, the collaboration continued to flourish. Clowndoctors shared their experience and knowledge with ENLIGHT academics and representatives from different external stakeholders during a workshop at the European Dialogue event.
Co-creating knowledge for education: collaboration between ENLIGHT academics and Clowndoctors has progressed into a robust and successful ENLIGHT Incubator grant on lifelong learning.
Innovation in education
In 2026, the collaboration reached a new milestone. The ENLIGHT Alliance launched a lifelong learning micro-credential in Slovakia, titled “Humour as a Communication Tool in Healthcare.” Coordinated by the Faculty of Medicine at Comenius University in Bratislava, the programme highlights the growing importance of communication skills in healthcare and explores how humour can strengthen trust, empathy, and the overall quality of care. The programme brings together academic expertise and practical experience through collaboration between ENLIGHT partner universities – Uppsala University, University of Groningen, University of Göttingen, and University of Galway – as well as external partners ČERVENÝ NOS Clowndoctors, Clowns on Call (Clownjouren Uppsala), and Teddy Bear Hospital. Designed as a flexible hybrid learning experience, the course combines online learning with an in-person workshop in Bratislava. It follows emerging European Commission approaches to micro-credentials and contributes to developing innovative lifelong learning models across Europe. The programme will also be presented at the European Association for International Education Conference 2026 as an example of forward-looking educational practice.
Impact and desired change
The ongoing collaboration process has impact and brought with it a change in the structure of collaboration for both sides: Clowndoctors are now regurlarly invited by the Faculty of Medicine, the Institute of Ethics to lecture for both students and staff, enriching medical education with lessons on using humour as a communication tool with patients. At the same time, faculty members also contribute back, offering workshops for Clowndoctors on the ethical foundations of medicine and doctor–patient communication. With the launch of the micro-credential programme, this cooperation has expanded beyond workshops into structured, accredited education, further strengthening its long-term impact on healthcare training and professional development.
