Participants on the 2024-2025 cycle of the World Physiotherapy leadership programme have praised their experience and the opportunity to share knowledge with colleagues around the world.
The online programme brought together leaders of World Physiotherapy member organisations in 20 countries/territories to strengthen leadership capacity across the global physiotherapy community.
Now in its third cycle, the programme ran from October 2024 to September 2025, featuring nine modules with online learning materials provided by subject matter experts, monthly live discussion sessions, and a final forum where participants presented case studies applying their new knowledge to real-world challenges. For the first time, reflective diaries were introduced, and a small group discussion was held in Spanish to increase inclusivity.
Of the 36 participants who began the programme, 23 completed it, marking a 64% completion rate. This was an improvement from the 52% completion rate for the previous member organisation cohort. Participants rated their overall experience at 89 out of 100.
Watch a video clip of Scott Willis's presentation, Developing advocacy
After completing the programme, participants were invited to take part in an evaluation survey. Survey respondents praised the programme’s relevance. One respondent said: “I really appreciated the structure and clarity of the programme, with each module building logically on the previous one. The mix of theory, practical tools, and real-world examples made the content highly relevant — even for a very small member organisation like ours.”
Another respondent highlighted the global community fostered through the sessions: “I liked that all participants were involved — no matter the country, everyone was always invited to the sessions.”
Watch a video clip of Margot Pintson's presentation, Taking active control over the association’s finances
The programme’s commitment to diversity and inclusion was widely recognised. A Spanish-speaking respondent said: “It’s great to have a facilitator who can speak Spanish during the discussion meetings,” although other respondents suggested that stronger translation support and Spanish-language recordings could enhance future cycles.
While respondents valued the comprehensive content, some found the workload challenging and said: “At times, the volume of reading felt quite heavy, especially when trying to balance programme work with the responsibilities of running a small organisation.”
Watch a video clip of Stefan Hegenscheidt's presentation, Growing together – Creating together. Developing an association‘s leadership academy in Germany
The modules on advocacy and change management received the highest ratings, and the discussion sessions were described as a “safe space for learning and sharing challenges.” Suggestions for improvement included offering in-person networking opportunities and creating an alumni network to maintain momentum.
One respondent described the programme as “an enriching experience that broadened my view of what it means to be part of an association”.
Birgit Mueller-Winkler, World Physiotherapy policy manager and coordinator of the leadership programme, said: “It is an honour to guide the participants and subject matter experts through this programme, improving our processes with each cycle. It is delightful to see how colleagues appreciate the year-long programme and apply their learning to their leadership roles in member organisations.”
Watch a video clip of Guadalupe Desireé López Gómez de Pineda's presentation, An education project improvement through leadership. The importance of building and strengthening a team.
The new cohort includes leaders of World Physiotherapy member organisations from 47 countries/territories. This group started the programme in October 2025 and is due to complete in September 2026. The programme continues to evolve and will introduce mentoring, reaffirming World Physiotherapy’s commitment to developing strong, connected leaders across its member organisations.
