Affiliations: Department of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Health
and Wellbeing, Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield, UK | Department of Occupational Therapy and Center of
Research on Autonomy and Participation, Faculty of Health and Care, Zuyd
University of Applied Sciences, Heerlen, The Netherlands
Note: [] Address for correspondence: Claire Craig, Department of
Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Health and Wellbeing, Sheffield Hallam
University, Sheffield, UK. Tel.: +44 0114 225 2586; Fax: +44 0114 225 4449;
E-mail: c.craig@shu.ac.uk
Abstract: Objective: This article presents a student evaluation of a joint
international education developed as part of a European project which sought to
equip health care practitioners with the skills to support employability of
individuals furthest removed from the labour market, disadvantaged on account
of age, gender, migration or ethnicity. Participants: Thirty eight students out of the forty one students
that participated in the pilot of four modules (NL, UK, SE, DE) returned
completed digital questionnaires (92.6% response rate). Methods: The study is descriptive by nature. A questionnaire was
used to collect the data from students. Additionally students attending the
module in the UK also took part in a series of qualitative interviews which
sought to explore their experiences in more detail. These were recorded,
transcribed and analyzed. Results: Students reported that joint education facilitates
competence development. The competencies they identified (Information
Communications Technology) were recognised as being key to enhancing
employability of disadvantaged groups. Conclusions: The joint international education exemplified by
EEE4all offers one model of how to build a responsive international curriculum
to ensure that the workforce of the future is well placed to meet the needs of
this changing world.
