Father Muller College of Nursing Strengthens Academic Collaborations with Two More Strategic MoUs on Palliative Care and Counselling
Mangaluru: Reinforcing its commitment to holistic nursing education, interdisciplinary learning, and community-oriented healthcare, Father Muller School and College of Nursing (FMCON) signed two significant Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with Ave Maria Hospice – A Centre for Palliative Care, Vamanjoor, and Roshni Nilaya – School of Social Work during ceremonies held on August 5 and August 7, 2026, respectively.
The collaborations aim to promote academic excellence, collaborative research, interdisciplinary education, faculty and student exchange, community outreach programmes, and joint initiatives aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The MoU ceremonies were presided over by Rev. Fr. Faustine Lucas Lobo, Director, Father Muller Charitable Institutions (FMCI), who, as the institutional head and administrator of the Father Muller School and College of Nursing, formally endorsed the partnerships. Sr. Dr. Dhanya Devasia, Principal of Father Muller School and College of Nursing, spearheaded these initiatives; her vision and leadership were instrumental in bringing both collaborations to fruition.
On August 5, 2026, Father Muller College of Nursing signed an MoU with Ave Maria Hospice – A Centre for Palliative Care, Vamanjoor, represented by Dr. Lavina Noronha, Founder and Director of the hospice.
Expressing her gratitude to Father Muller Charitable Institutions, Dr. Noronha described the partnership as addressing “the need of the hour.” She noted that palliative care extends beyond medical management to embrace compassionate, patient-centred care that preserves the dignity and quality of life of individuals facing life-limiting illnesses.
She expressed confidence that the collaboration would strengthen education, clinical exposure, research, and community-based palliative care services while preparing future nurses to provide holistic and compassionate end-of-life care.
Ave Maria Hospice is among the pioneering institutions in the coastal region dedicated exclusively to palliative and hospice care. Guided by the philosophy of preserving the dignity of life and dignity of death, the centre provides comprehensive medical, psychological, emotional, social, and spiritual support to patients with chronic, terminal, and life-limiting illnesses, while extending compassionate care to their families.
The institution has become a beacon of hope for countless families by emphasising comfort, pain relief, emotional healing, and quality of life during the final stages of illness.
An accomplished palliative care physician and academician, Dr. Lavina Noronha has been actively advancing palliative medicine through clinical service, education, training, and community outreach. She has received recognition on numerous occasions for her contributions to compassionate healthcare and advocacy for end-of-life care.
Ms. Cenita, a social worker at Ave Maria Hospice, was also present at the signing ceremony.
On August 7, 2026, Father Muller College of Nursing signed its second MoU with Roshni Nilaya – School of Social Work, represented by Dr. Saritha D’Souza, IQAC Coordinator and Head of the Department of Criminology and Forensic Science.
Expressing her appreciation, Dr. D’Souza thanked Father Muller Charitable Institutions for initiating the collaboration and looked forward to a wide range of joint academic and extension activities that would enrich both faculty and students through interdisciplinary learning, research, counselling services, and community engagement.
She was accompanied by Dr. Rosa Nimmy Mathew, IQAC Co-Coordinator and Head of the Department of M.Sc. Counselling, whose expertise includes adolescent counselling, child counselling, psychotherapy, and psychological first aid. Dr. Mathew expressed optimism that the partnership would create meaningful opportunities for counselling education, mental health promotion, and collaborative outreach initiatives.
Established in 1960, Roshni Nilaya – School of Social Work is one of India’s pioneering institutions dedicated to professional social work education. Managed by the Congregation of the Sisters of the Little Flower of Bethany, the institution has consistently nurtured competent, ethical, and socially responsible social work professionals.
The institution actively undertakes research, consultancy, extension services, and community engagement in areas such as community health, women’s empowerment, child welfare, mental health, disability, ageing, rural development, environmental sustainability, and social justice. Through awareness campaigns, outreach programmes, workshops, seminars, and collaborations with healthcare institutions, industries, government agencies, and civil society organisations, Roshni Nilaya continues to make a significant contribution to societal development.
Delivering the presidential address during the MoU signing with Ave Maria Hospice, Rev. Fr. Faustine Lucas Lobo reflected on the deeper significance of institutional partnerships.
He observed that every Memorandum of Understanding seeks a common purpose and shared mission. While Father Muller Medical College Hospital strives to improve the quality of life of patients, Ave Maria Hospice is dedicated to ensuring dignity during the final stages of life. The common thread, he remarked, is the dignity of every human person.
He further stated that healthcare is not merely about curing disease but about enabling people to live lives filled with hope, joy, compassion, and harmony. Institutions committed to healing, he said, must continue weaving a tapestry of peace, empathy, and human dignity in every life they touch.
During the signing of the MoU with Roshni Nilaya, Fr. Faustine highlighted the remarkable legacy of both institutions, noting that Father Muller Charitable Institutions, with its 146-year history, and Roshni Nilaya, with over six decades of dedicated service, stand as pioneers in healthcare and social work education in the region.
Recalling his association of more than three decades with CODP, Mangaluru, he spoke about organising numerous collaborative counselling programmes, youth initiatives, and community development activities with Roshni Nilaya. He emphasised that networking and collaboration remain the foundation of successful partnerships, adding that institutions grow stronger when they work together for the common good. Such collaborations, he said, ultimately benefit society through improved education, healthcare, counselling, and community service.
The signing of these two MoUs marks another milestone in Father Muller College of Nursing’s continuing efforts to strengthen interdisciplinary education, collaborative research, faculty development, student exchange, and community outreach.
During the past month alone, FMCON has expanded its collaborative network through strategic partnerships with St. Aloysius (DTB) University, Yenepoya (DTB) University, and Avishkar Yoga & Holistic Health Centre. The addition of Ave Maria Hospice and Roshni Nilaya – School of Social Work further reinforces FMCON’s vision of producing compassionate, competent, and socially responsible healthcare professionals equipped to address the evolving needs of society.
Among those present during the signing ceremonies were Dr. Agnes E. J., Vice Principal; Dr. Shycil Mathew, Professor, Department of Community Health Nursing; Mr. Ashwin Bromeo J., Professor and Head, Department of Medical-Surgical Nursing; the heads of various nursing departments; and Mrs. Charitha Clavia Lewis, Lecturer, Department of Medical-Surgical Nursing.
Through these partnerships, Father Muller College of Nursing continues to uphold its institutional motto, “Heal & Comfort,” while advancing interdisciplinary learning, evidence-based practice, and meaningful contributions towards achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, ensuring that healthcare education remains holistic, collaborative, and centred on the well-being of humanity.
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