Introduction

In cooperation with five universities, Charles University, Czech Republic, Savonia University of Applied Sciences, Finland, University of A Coruña, A Coruña, Spain, University Europea de Madrid from Spain and CEERRF France, the Blended Intensive Programme (BIP) was held in Prague for the second time. The first such BIP course was held in Savonia-UAS last year. The collaboration under The European Network of Physiotherapy in Higher Education (ENPHE) research group promotes the teaching of evidence-based physiotherapy by co-developing teaching and piloting new ideas.

Evidence-based physiotherapy (EBP)

Evidence-based physiotherapy (EBP) is crucial in modern healthcare as it integrates clinical expertise with the best available research evidence and patient values (Veras et a. 2016). This approach ensures that physiotherapy interventions are effective, safe, and tailored to individual patient needs. EBP enhances treatment outcomes by utilizing scientifically validated methods, thereby improving patient recovery rates and overall quality of life. Moreover, it fosters continuous professional development among physiotherapists, encouraging them to stay updated with the latest research and advancements in the field. Ultimately, EBP contributes to more efficient healthcare systems by promoting high standards of care and optimizing resource utilization. Evidence-based physiotherapy is an essential part of physiotherapists’ curricula (Statement on Physiotherapy EMWG 2022).

Physiotherapist education Framework offers guidance for physiotherapist entry level education and for continuing professional development. Evidence based practice is described here as one of the important domains of physiotherapist practice competencies. In this domain, the physiotherapist professional curriculum includes training in research methodology and biostatistics, acquisition of literature search skills, and evaluation of data and studies (World Physiotherapy, 2021). After graduation, the physiotherapist applies a critical understanding of the research literature, uses safe and effective evidence-based treatments, realizes the relationship between clinical practice, research, and continuing professional development. Physiotherapists follow physical therapy standards and ethical principles too. As professionals, we are responsible for patients’ management on the best available evidence, and we have a responsibility not to use techniques and technologies that have been shown to be ineffective or unsafe (World Physiotherapy, 2023). World Physiotherapy supports life-long learning activities that are essential to evidence-based physiotherapy practice and facilitates a cooperation between professionals at local, national and international levels to develop partnerships and collaborative projects related to evidence-based practice.

The Blended Intensive Programme (BIP) is a short-term course that provides international mobility and cooperation between higher education institutions with the aim to offer students and academics study training and learning using innovative approaches – evidence-based practice.

BIP course

A total of 43 (Picture 1) students participated in the current course this year. The course included a virtual meeting, where students were introduced, given an introductory lecture on the topic and given a preliminary assignment. At that time, there was excitement and anticipation of the new. Studying in an international group always brings its own new dimension to learning, because you are not studying in your mother tongue, the cultural differences of students from different countries are reflected in the way you study, and the content is always something new. After the virtual course, the students prepared a preliminary assignment, which they presented during an active and participative next week in Prague. The course had its own learning environment with study material related to the BIP course. The learning platform was organized by the organizing university.

The week started with a welcome from ENPHE President Patricia Almeida, and the day continued with a virtual session to present the mission assigned before the week. Students from each university presented their country and their university. This was followed by a session on evidence-based physiotherapy. The teachers (Picture 2) from the different colleges introduced the students to evidence-based physiotherapy through different topics both on fundamental knowledge of EBP and on examples of illustrated application in several fields of physiotherapy. At the same time, the learning tasks given at the beginning of the week started to build up as the teachers guided the groups of students into which they had been divided. In total, eight groups explored the different themes, looking at what evidence there was for each theme. In line with the learning task, the groups were asked to formulate their own research question for which they would look for research evidence. In the learning task, students presented the evidence they had found in the “mini” review and assessed its quality. In addition, students wrote a short blog article, which will be finalized and published in Savonia articles. Overall, the week was a rewarding one and contributed to excellent evidence-based teaching and international collaboration between teachers and students alike.

Benefits of the Program

Completing the program allowed participants not only to deepen their professional knowledge but also to improve their communication and teamwork skills. Additionally, it provided them with valuable insights into the practical applications of theoretical Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) concepts and offered inspiration for further study and future professional practice. Overall, the program significantly contributed to the personal and professional growth of all participants, equipping them with valuable knowledge and experiences that could be applied in their work.

This course proved to be highly beneficial and inspiring, as reflected in the overwhelmingly positive feedback from participants. Here is an excerpt from one of the student group’s written reports: “We are very pleased to have had the opportunity to participate in this intensive international program. Not only did we learn how to better search for and work with resources, articles, and conduct research, but we also attended many interesting and enriching lectures. We are extremely grateful for the chance to engage in discussions on the given topics and to continue our education in this way. The excursion to Poděbrady was particularly fascinating—the town was truly beautiful, and the tour of the spa, including the presentation, was captivating. We are especially thankful for the opportunity to meet other like-minded individuals who are open to learning new things. Among other experiences, we practiced our communication skills, improved teamwork in randomly assigned groups, and took another step toward our goal of becoming excellent physiotherapists.” (Picture 3.) From a teacher’s point of view, this program also allows to participate in a globalization idea to universalize future contents in order to smooth the educational programs.

Justification for the choice of the program theme

The theme of Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) was chosen as the central focus of the program due to its critical importance in modern healthcare practice. EBP integrates current scientific knowledge, clinical expertise, and patient preferences, ensuring the delivery of high-quality, safe, and effective care. For physiotherapy students, mastering the principles of EBP is essential for several reasons:

(1) Critical Thinking and Decision-Making – EBP fosters the ability to critically evaluate scientific studies and apply relevant knowledge in practice, which is vital for effective decision-making in diverse clinical situations students may encounter in their careers; (2) Personalized Patient Care – Physiotherapy requires an individualized approach to patient care. EBP principles help future physiotherapists select the most appropriate therapeutic methods while considering each patient’s unique needs and preferences, thereby enhancing the quality and efficiency of care; (3) Sustainability and Efficiency in Healthcare – the application of EBP eliminates outdated or ineffective practices, contributing to more efficient resource use and reduced healthcare costs. Students learn not only to improve therapeutic outcomes but also to support the sustainability of healthcare systems; (4) Preparation for a Dynamic Profession – physiotherapy is a rapidly evolving field, with new studies and approaches continuously reshaping therapeutic practices. Mastering EBP equips students to stay current with trends and integrate new knowledge seamlessly into their professional practice; (5) Enhanced Credibility and Professionalism – physiotherapists who base their work on current scientific evidence gain greater trust from patients and respect from colleagues in other healthcare fields. EBP raises standards of care and supports professional development.

For these reasons, the topic of Evidence-Based Practice is a crucial element in the education of future physiotherapists and a cornerstone of delivering quality, ethical, and effective care. The program undoubtedly contributed to these goals, affirming that the choice of topic was well-founded.

Conclusion of the Implemented Program

Blended Intensive Programmes (BIP) within Erasmus+ represent a new form of international educational activities that combine virtual and in-person teaching. BIP courses are designed to impact participants by fostering intercultural competencies, promoting innovative learning approaches, including specialized topics, strengthening cooperation among universities on a European scale, increasing motivation to study, and more.

Considering how our program was designed and implemented, as well as the fact that it involved participation from five institutions, we believe our program successfully achieved the intended impact in these areas.

Overall, the implemented BIP program “Evidence-Based Physiotherapy” can be evaluated positively. The program provided participants with not only new knowledge and skills but also valuable experiences and connections. We hope to continue contributing to the enrichment of our students’ curricula in future editions. (Picture 4.)

Authers:

Marja Äijö, PT, PhD Principal Lecturer of gerontology and rehabilitation, Savonia, University of Applied Sciences, Kuopio, Finland

Dagmar Pavlu, Physiotherapist, Assoc. Prof. Charles University, Czech Republic

Ivana Vláčilová, Physiotherapist, PhD., Charles University, Czech Republic

Zeltia Naia, PhD, MSc, PT Professor, University of A Coruña, A Coruña, Spain

Adrien Pallot, PT, MSc, Lecturer at CEERRF, France

References:

The European Network of Physiotherapy in Higher Education (ENPHE). 2024. In available: https://www.enphe.org/en/about

Statement on Physiotherapy. Education of the Europe region. Education Matters Working Group (EMWG). 2022. APPROVED 19th and 20th May 2022, Prague, Czech Republic. Cited 19.11.2024. In available: https://www.erwcpt.eu/_files/ugd/3e47dc_2d5255d064874c8493f2619fbbee427c.pdf

Veras M, Kairy D, Paquet N. 2016. What Is Evidence-Based Physiotherapy? Physiother Can 68(2):95–96. doi: 10.3138/ptc.68.2.GEE

World Physiotherapy. 2021. Physiotherapist education framework. London, UK: World Physiotherapy; ISBN: 978-1-914952-01-2

World Physiotherapy. 2023. Policy statement: Evidence-based practice. London, UK: World Physiotherapy. Available from: https://world.physio/policy/ps-ebp