The ongoing war in Ukraine has placed an increased burden on both the education and rehabilitation systems in Ukraine. There is a growing need for rehabilitation services in the country, requiring a skilled workforce of rehabilitation professionals, but traditional face-to-face education has become more difficult and unsafe in some regions. In response to this the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine have pursued alternative approaches to continue to advance the rehabilitation professions in Ukraine, implementing digital tools and online education as a priority.
As part of their ongoing work to develop higher education for rehabilitation professionals in Ukraine to bring them in line with international standards the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine have recently recognised the contributions made by Physiopedia in advancing rehabilitation professions in the country.
Within the framework of the project “Strengthening Rehabilitation Services in the Health Care System” (SRSHS), implemented by Momentum Wheels for Humanity with the support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Physiopedia provide educational courses and seminars for rehabilitation professionals, including physiotherapists, occupational therapists and speech and language therapists, to improve their skills. Since the beginning of the war, rehabilitation professionals have had free access to Physiopedia Plus (Plus) online education; 225 courses have been translated into Ukrainian and, in cooperation with the Ukrainian Physical Therapists Association, 11 Plus courses have been officially registered and now are awarded continuing professional development (CPD) points. Access to the educational portal has significantly improved the quality of students’ independent work and allowed health education institutions to credit the results of non-formal education. Other supporting activities include implementing the online Rehabilitation Community professional forum, a hybrid clinical skills training for rehabilitation professionals and mentoring sessions from international mentors. On a broader scale the Physiopediа team continues to organise interprofessional cooperation between international experts and Ukrainian rehabilitation stakeholders: Ministries, Professional Associations/Societies, and Universities. The Physiopedia team are also working with several universities to strengthen and improve university programmes in line with international standards and educational approaches, with great collaborative work completed with the National University of Ukraine on Physical Education and Sport, the Ivan Boberskyi Lviv State University of Physical Culture, the Ukrainian Catholic University, and the Khortytsia National Educational and Rehabilitation Academy.
In a recent report about the collaboration, The Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine have stated that access to the Plus educational portal has significantly increased the quality of independent work of students, and has enabled higher education institutions to credit the results of non-formal education.
Through this ongoing collaboration to provide accessible education and training, Physiopedia are continuing to advance the rehabilitation professions to strengthen rehabilitation services in Ukraine.
These activities have been coordinated by the Physiopedia team within the frame of the project “Strengthening Rehabilitation Services in Health System” (SRSHS), implemented by Momentum Wheels for Humanity, with the support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).