An investigation into the observation of the Enphe country coordinators on the influence of the Bologna Process on physiotherapy education across Europe

Abstract

Objectives: The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of the Bologna Process on physiotherapy education in Europe on a national level through the views of the ENPHE country coordinators. It may serve as a benchmark for countries to compare their position to other countries. Description: The Bologna Process was created in 1999 as an on-going pan-European initiative that was originally intended to harmonise the architecture of the European higher education system through the creation of a European Area of Higher Education (EAHE) by 2010. Throughout these years it would be expected that physiotherapy course programmes across Europe have changed and been redesigned to meet emerging challenges. There has been little study of how the Bologna Process has influenced physiotherapy education across Europe. This poster reports the response to a survey questionnaire of 20 country coordinators of the European Network of Physiotherapists in Higher Education (ENPHE). A survey questionnaire was designed, piloted and forwarded to country coordinators representing the member universities within ENPHE. Participants were asked to indicate which of the Bologna objectives were implemented in their country and from these which existed as a national obligation (and hence are adopted by all the physiotherapy programmes) or which existed as an institutional requisite. Twenty-seven questionnaires were distributed electronically via a certified web-based survey programme. The response rate was 74% (20). In 90% (18) of countries from who a response was received physiotherapy is being taught at a level of higher education whilst the rest have physiotherapy being taught at a professional or vocational level that is considered to be lower than higher education. The data were processed and analysed using descriptive statistics. Implications: The data presented from the response to a survey questionnaire by the country coordinators within ENPHE reveal that the objectives of the Bologna Process have been implemented to some degree or other in most but not all of the countries.