International Student Training & Exchange Program 2022

iSTEP 2022

International Student Training & Exchange Program 

The Network: Towards Unity For Health and VIVES University of Applied Sciences alongside the Student Network
Organization are proud to announce iSTEP 2022!
It is a unique concept in which students work together internationally, interprofessionally, and digitally. It creates an opportunity for students to experience international classrooms and multicultural collaborations.

The topics for iSTEP 2022

In the iSTEP 2022 edition there will be 3 courses that students can choose from:
     Course 1. ISTEP – Innovative Cities and Health
     Course 2. iSTEP – Communication: Talking with Partners, Patients, and Communities
     Course 3. iSTEP – Social Determinants of Health

 

Timing for iSTEP 2022

This year’s edition will take place from October 2021 – May 2022.
Each course will consist of 8 meetings, each meeting will be 2 hours long from 1 PM to 3 PM UTC+0.
During the meetings, there will be presentations, break-out sessions, and tutor-guided discussions.

 

iSTEP committee 

  • iSTEP Coordinator Tony Claeys (tony.claeys@vives.be) from VIVES University of Applied Sciences who is the European Representative of The Network: Toward Unity for Health
  • The Network: Towards Unity For Health, represented by the Office of the Secretariat (secretariat@thenetworktufh.org), represented by the Executive Director, Nicholas Torres; Vice Secretary General, William Burdick; TUFH Program Manager, Aricia De Kempeneer; and TUFH Student Development and Mentoring, Sari Wulandari (swulandari@thenetworktufh.org) 
  • Student Exchange Coordinator from the Student Network Organization, Madhava Sai Sivapuram (sno.exchange@thenetworktufh.org)
  • Evelyne Leroi from VIVES University of Applied Sciences
  • Lies Verstrate from VIVES University of Applied Sciences

 

Information for INSTITUTIONS

Only Institutions that have a TUFH Institutional Membership can join the iSTEP Program. If your institute is interested in joining, please contact the iSTEP Coordinator Tony Claeys (tony.claeys@vives.be).

TUFH, SNO, and VIVES provide the assignments and the logistical support of the program. The participating university is responsible to recruit the students and assigning 1 teacher per 10 students.
At this moment there is no stipend for students and tutors. This program is supported by the students and teachers by motivation and belief of the importance to create a common digital, interprofessional and international exchange to learn from, with, and about each other as referred by the WHO as important skills for future healthcare professionals.

Institutions that become partners in this program will have to sign an Agreement: Memorandum Of Understanding.
An agreement (MOU) between the involved partners and TUFH will be signed in which they indicate that they want to contribute to the development of the International Student Training & Exchange Program (iSTEP). The agreement will cover the recruitment and supervision of students within iSTEP. The guidance of students during iSTEP by teachers and the further development of iSTEP into a real learning opportunity that we try to embed in the curricula of health care students all over the globe.

 

iSTEP allows us to pursue the objectives of international learning linked to interprofessional learning for our students.
It fully meets the ICCOMS framework:

 

Specific for Europe it creates opportunities that fit into the Erasmus Charter for Higher Education

Information for STUDENTS

iSTEP will consist of several groups where students from different countries and healthcare sectors are assigned to work together with their tutor.

Each iSTEP course will consist of 8 digital 2-hour virtual meetings, which consist of a lesson with a speaker and break-out groups & a small group meeting with their tutor and fellow students (Thursday 1-3 PM UTC+0).
As a student you will need to actively participate in each meeting, please refer to the planning above.

During each meeting, a discussion will be followed by an assignment that you as a student have to complete by a certain deadline and send to your tutor.

Your attendance and work will be graded and at the end of iSTEP, you will receive a certificate of completion with your grade. Be aware, only students that successfully complete the full series will receive the certificate.

To participate, your institution has to sign up, if they have not, please direct their attention to this iSTEP course and the deadline to sign up.
Active SNO students can also join through SNO, please complete this survey by June 30th, 2021.

At the end of the program, you will be asked to complete a feedback survey and give an interview about your experience.