Kuehnast P1, Kraus E1, Höppner H1
1Alice Salomon University of Applied Sciences, Physiotherapy / Occupational Therapy, Berlin, Germany
Background: Designers of studies in physiotherapy worldwide are being challenged to modify their curricula to adapt to mutating conditions such as increased migration, people with flight experiences and related health problems and different intercultural disease management strategies. Up to the present these changes have not been reflected in physiotherapy studies either in the Gambia or in Germany. Studies should prepare future physiotherapists for these conditions. A cooperative scheme has been set up between the University of The Gambia (EFSTH) and the Alice Salomon University of Applied Sciences (ASH) in Berlin in order to do justice to these challenges amongst other factors. The goal of this cooperation is to upgrade the B.Sc. courses in physiotherapy and equally to adapt them to the current challenges.
For EFSTH and ASH the emphasis is the cooperation between local teaching staff and students. The ASH has the chance to profit from the experience of a developing country, where migration, experience with refugees, poverty and lack of resources are commonplace. In addition the cooperation will offer the opportunity of international practical experience for future students of both education facilities. The point of departure for a sustainable development is the respective curriculum.
Purpose: The comparison of the curricula aimed to bring out what they have in common and where differences lie. The aim was to reveal gaps, specialities and diverging emphases in the two courses. It served both institutions as the point of departure for reflection and advancement of new aims in the course of study. At the same time the results serve as material for needs assessment, to recognize barriers which the actors consider crucial in achieving the set aims.
Methods: A comparative analysis of the contents of the curricula of EFSTH and ASH was carried out. In addition the main course leaders in both countries were interviewed about their experience, in order to identify challenges to success in the courses of studies.
Results: The comparative analysis of the curricula established that both institutions aim to train thoughtful, critical and pragmatic practitioners of physiotherapy. Both universities aim to qualify its students in diversity of social care environment. On the ground this involves ethical and cultural topics focussing on health and social care practice. One difference is a question of years of training and the length of time taken up by practical experience. At EFSTH there are modules such as ICT, Biostatistics and English for Physiotherapists. At the ASH the interprofessional education with the profession occupational therapy has a significant value. The interviews made clear, the biggest challenges to fulfil the objectives of the EFSTH curriculum are associated with qualified personal for practical and theoretical teaching.
Conclusion(s): Thus initial points ot the EFSTH and the ASH curricula could be identified which reappear in the needs analysis for generative cooperation between both universities.
Implications: The further development of these curricula will take continue. Curricula worldwide should factor in an awareness of growing challenges referred to above.
Keywords: Curricula, international cooperation
Funding acknowledgements: Non funding.
For EFSTH and ASH the emphasis is the cooperation between local teaching staff and students. The ASH has the chance to profit from the experience of a developing country, where migration, experience with refugees, poverty and lack of resources are commonplace. In addition the cooperation will offer the opportunity of international practical experience for future students of both education facilities. The point of departure for a sustainable development is the respective curriculum.
Purpose: The comparison of the curricula aimed to bring out what they have in common and where differences lie. The aim was to reveal gaps, specialities and diverging emphases in the two courses. It served both institutions as the point of departure for reflection and advancement of new aims in the course of study. At the same time the results serve as material for needs assessment, to recognize barriers which the actors consider crucial in achieving the set aims.
Methods: A comparative analysis of the contents of the curricula of EFSTH and ASH was carried out. In addition the main course leaders in both countries were interviewed about their experience, in order to identify challenges to success in the courses of studies.
Results: The comparative analysis of the curricula established that both institutions aim to train thoughtful, critical and pragmatic practitioners of physiotherapy. Both universities aim to qualify its students in diversity of social care environment. On the ground this involves ethical and cultural topics focussing on health and social care practice. One difference is a question of years of training and the length of time taken up by practical experience. At EFSTH there are modules such as ICT, Biostatistics and English for Physiotherapists. At the ASH the interprofessional education with the profession occupational therapy has a significant value. The interviews made clear, the biggest challenges to fulfil the objectives of the EFSTH curriculum are associated with qualified personal for practical and theoretical teaching.
Conclusion(s): Thus initial points ot the EFSTH and the ASH curricula could be identified which reappear in the needs analysis for generative cooperation between both universities.
Implications: The further development of these curricula will take continue. Curricula worldwide should factor in an awareness of growing challenges referred to above.
Keywords: Curricula, international cooperation
Funding acknowledgements: Non funding.
Topic: Education; Education: continuing professional development
Ethics approval required: No
Institution: Alice Salomon University of Applied Sciences
Ethics committee: Ethic Commission of the Alice Salomon University of Applied Science
Reason not required: The reseach was an analyse of documents, above that two interviews to the documents (curricula).
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
