# Educating Physiotherapists for a Global Mindset – ENPHE and research groups results

> A total of 250 participants from 39 different countries both students and teachers attended the conference. The programme included keynote lectures, working sessions and inspiring discussions. One part of the conference was ENPHE research group session.

## Overview
The European Network of Physiotherapy in Higher Education (ENPHE) organized a conference in Prague, Czech Republic, at the Charles University Faculty of Physical Education and Sport. The theme was "Educating Physiotherapists for a Global Mindset." The event hosted 250 participants from 39 countries, featuring keynote lectures, working sessions, and discussions. A key component was the ENPHE research group session, which focused on three primary topics: a scoping review article, the “More Life to Your Years” research project, and the Evidence-Based Physiotherapy Blended Intensive Programme (BIP).

## Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) Scoping Review
Following the 2022 ENPHE spring seminar, the research team conducted an 18-month review on the effectiveness of EBP learning methods for entry-level physiotherapy students. This culminated in the publication: *Boshnjaku et al. 2023: Improving the Evidence-Based Practice Skills of Entry-Level Physiotherapy Students through Educational Interventions: A Scoping Review of Literature*.

At the Prague conference, the team presented these findings, noting that while EBP interventions increase student skills, challenges such as time constraints and clinical model limitations persist. Discussions focused on integrating clinical mentoring to better utilize the three pillars of EBP.

## “More Life to Your Years” Research Project
This project utilizes a mixed-methods approach—combining qualitative research and comprehensive questionnaires—to identify frailty and factors contributing to human vulnerability in an aging population. 

Charles University joined the project last year to implement a qualitative study. Key milestones include:
* Translation of research materials.
* Ethics committee approval.
* Planned investigation start in November 2023, running for six months.

The project was presented at the conference by students Imri den Ouden (Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences) and Jana Pojerová (Charles University), alongside researchers Dagmar Pavlü (Charles University) and Anne Griet Brader (Hanze University of Applied Sciences).

## Evidence-Based Physiotherapy Blended Intensive Programme (BIP)
Following the 2023 spring seminar, three universities collaborated to develop a BIP focused on Evidence-Based Physiotherapy. The program, which involves 46 students and 7 teachers, began on October 5, 2023, with an online component, followed by a face-to-face session in Kuopio, Finland. The conference served as a platform to share the curriculum, evaluation processes, and management strategies of this program.

## Authors
* **Äijö Marja**, PhD, Principal lecturer, gerontology and rehabilitation, Savonia University of Applied Sciences, Kuopio, Finland
* **Boshnjaku Arben**, University “Fehmi Agani”, Gjakova, Kosovo
* **Pallot Adrien**, CEERRF, Saint-Denis, France
* **Griet Brader Anne**, Hanze University of Applied Sciences, Groningen Netherlands
* **den Ouden Imri**, students, Hanze University of Applied Sciences, Groningen Netherlands
* **Schoo Paula**, students Hanze University of Applied sciences
* **Naia Entonado Zeltia**, PhD, University of A Coruña, A Coruña, Spain
* **Pojerová Jana**, students Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
* **Pavlu Dagmar**, Physiotherapist, Assoc. Prof. Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic

## References
* Boshnjaku A, Arnadottir AS, Pallot A, Wagener M, Äijö M. 2023. Improving the Evidence-Based Practice Skills of Entry-Level Physiotherapy Students through Educational Interventions: A Scoping Review of Literature. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(16), 6605; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20166605
* The European Network of Physiotherapy in Higher Education (ENPHE). 2023. https://www.enphe.org/en