PhysioGuru

From being a physical educator, a field hockey coach and teaching sports physiology and health to being a co-ordinator of the internationalization of physiotherapy, podiatry and nursing education, Wil Dielis has come a long way. He is also the current Vice President of the European Network of Physiotherapy in Higher Education (ENPHE).

DA: Today at PhysioGuru, we will talk to Wil and try to understand his pioneering role in development and coordination of international cooperation in health care and health care education. Many thanks for taking time out of your travelling and busy schedule to answer our questions Wil.

WD: Some careers are simple, some are complex. Some are chaotic, some are logical. In my career I tend to see a logical development, with a long history. Starting as an active sportsman, attracted by a bachelor programme in physical education, my first milestone was a job as a teacher in physical education. Next to that, at the same time, I was active as a trainer in field hockey and a player in the highest Dutch league. More and more I fixed my attention on the medical and kinematical part of people and became physiotherapist. By combining physiotherapy and education, I got in full-time employment at Saxion University of Applied Sciences as a teacher in physiotherapy. Jobs on the side were also related to sports and health. Gradually my interest in Science grew and I decided to take up the Master of Arts in Health Care and Social Work. In my job at the University I had more and more dealings with partner institutions abroad, to improve mobility of students, staff and collaborative construction of programmes (Bachelor and Master). In the European Network of Physiotherapy in Higher Education, I was more and more active as Coordinator, Work Group member and currently the Executive Board. Internationalization is my main target in Saxion’s School of Health, also including Nursing, Podiatry and Management in Care.

DA: So what exactly does the ‘internationalization’ involve?

WD: Internationalization in Saxion University is a very important aspect. Next to ‘innovation in education’, ‘relationship with professional/clinical field’, ‘excellence’, ‘professionalization’, ’internationalization’ is a spearhead of our policy and current strategy. In our School of Health I have defined internationalization as ‘the process of integrating an international and intercultural dimension into research, teaching and services functions of the School of Health in Saxion’. It is a broad concept. It comprises student and staff mobility, curriculum development, and all strategies initiated by public authorities and institutions to adapt to and benefit from cross-border and multicultural relations. To make this internationalization more operational I have turned the definition into 4 ambitions.

Ambition 1: Increase of participation in international projects and educational and professional networks. The projects and networks must have a surplus value for all programmes in Health Care. Conferences are ways of communicating in these projects and networks.

Ambition 2: Increase of foreign, international students in all Health Care programmes. More (parts of) programmes must be turned into English, with international elements, trends and innovation.

Ambition 3: International professional competences are important aspects in personnel management of the School of Health and are incorporated in all employees’ profiles.

Ambition 5: All students have experienced international activities in their study. That can be done in several different ways, like a clinical training abroad, an exchange with other Universities abroad, an international thesis, participation in an international class or programme in Saxion, intercultural aspects in the content of the study, etc.

DA: Thanks for the detailed explanation.

Can you explain what ‘international projects and educational and professional networks ’ are you currently involved in ?

WD: Saxion University (School of Health) has 2 important International Projects. The first is the Vietnam project is a project of several years to improve the quality of Nursing Education in Vietnam. Therefore we have contracts with Ministries, seven Universities and Professional Organizations. Secondly, the Ukraine Project is a project to improve Elderly Care and palliative Care and develop Best Practice. To enable Best Practice we develop BPU’s: Best Practice Units.

Besides these two enormous projects we also have several smaller and shorter projects. In countries like India, South Africa and South America we have developed places where our Bachelor students are working (Clinical Training) to improve the standard health. This is in Nursing, Physiotherapy and Podiatry, sometimes combined. With these projects we want to achieve a combination of learning of these students and contribution to the Social / Health perspective.

Networks are important for Saxion, since it creates efficiency in mobility of students, staff and curriculum. Therefore we create Networks of Institutions and participate actively in these. Examples are the ENPHE, European Network of Physiotherapy in Higher Education, ENPODHE, Network for Podiatry, and a similar network for Nursing in Europe. I'm Vice President of ENPHE at this moment. Next to these European Networks we build also smaller networks with smaller amount of Institutions involved. An example is our Intensive Programme CoW (Constructors of Wellbeing) with Universities in Finland, Germany and Ireland. In this programme I particpate as constructor / coordinator and teacher.

DA: I am sure this is a mutually beneficial arrangement, while Saxion students can achieve international exposure, the local students also benefit from the knowledge, skills and cross cultural contacts?

WD: Internationalization will never be limited to 'out-going' students and staff only. Going out is important and will always be an ambition, but also for those who stay at home, internationalization must be enabled. 'Internationalization at home', that's the issue. Therefore it's important that international and multi-cultural knowledge, experiences and expertise are integrated in the curriculum. New trends from abroad, best practices and innovations are incorporated in the programmes. A curriculum committee is responsible for that. Also by having international students in our University, an international classroom is settled.

DA: So, what difference have you noted in the education system of Saxion and developing countries.

WD: Differences will always be there, fortunately. It will never be the purpose of Saxion to focus on similarity and ‘one size fits all’. Just because of differences in culture, tradition, political situations, professional power, etc. educational systems will be different. We have to make these differences transparent and focus on understanding and respect of divergence. By discussing and showing best practices, benefits can be implemented, if needed, relevant and applicable. That’s up to all participating educational institutions and countries.

Of course the system in Saxion shows differences from other institutions. The typical Dutch way of education, with freedom, independency and in a way equality, enables students to design their own learning paths, individual routes with flexibility. Also in the profiles of the profession these characters emerge. In health care all professional are asked to fulfil tasks in organization, managing and development of the profession.

DA: Does Saxion also provide short term on campus programs for international students of these countries as well, to gain experience of the Western healthcare system?

WD: By having lots of bi-lateral agreement with other universities and educational institutions, we enable students (but also staff) from abroad to exchange. Mostly they stay for 3 – 5 months in our university, and part of that period is spend on clinical training in our clinical affiliated network.

Short term exchanges are also possible. Sometimes a group of students and their teachers come over for a couple of days (up to a week) and a “work week” is organized, including several social events by our student’s board.

Full time students can also find their way in Saxion. We offer a full time 4 year bachelor programme, taught in English, with possibilities to do the clinical training even in another country abroad. Master programmes (also international, f.e. musculoskeletal, are under construction.

DA: So what has been the most satisfying initiative in ‘internationalization’ for your team?

WD: A very interesting international programme is the so called “Intensive Programme”, IP. This is an initiative of Erasmus Lifelong Learning Programmes. Together with 4 Universities in Europe we have developed a two weeks IP for junior students in Health Care (Nursing, Physiotherapy and Leisure & Recreation) and Social Work. The focus is the construction of wellbeing from an interprofessional and multicultural/international perspective. Subjects like culture, ethics, organization of care, professional domains and profiles, entrepreneurial potential and promotion of wellbeing play an important role in the content of this programme. It is more and more important to learn with, from and about each other to improve collaboration and the quality of care. The first time we have organized this IP was last April in Finland. About 40 students and 10 teachers have done this IP with great success. The final quote was: 'Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.' This might be the new challenge for internationalization.

DA: Many thanks for finding time to talk to us. I am sure it would inspire other professionals and universities as well to embrace this concept of ‘internationalization’ of health professions to benefit the global mankind.

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