A video memory of the educational tour to Maastricht University

We will always have exciting things to share with you. Today, we are sharing our memories of the educators’ study tour to Maastricht University, which took place in June this year. We have a great video from the trip.  

At the same time, we will continue to share not just our impressions of communicating with colleagues at Maastricht University because the word impressions only describe some of the palette of emotions and the depth of reflection that meetings during this study tour evoke. 

 Here are a few facts about the structure of the educational process and the development of teachers, as well as impressions of communication with the student Kato and her mentor. 

 All educators are concerned with ensuring the quality of education and being aware of their responsibility to adhere to the principles and values of the university. However, external accreditation is also conducted for compliance with the program’s structure and macroeconomic efficiency. And existing programs are reviewed and evaluated. 

• The process of developing educational competencies is continuous and consistent. You need to be trained and qualified as a university lecturer to teach. This certificate is valid in other universities across the country. 
• In addition, teachers take advanced training courses in teaching skills and learn from each other’s experiences. The staff of the Education Development Department is responsible for building and implementing this training. There are only eight of them. They do their best to make the training for teachers engaging, relevant, and interactive and contribute to changes in their teaching. 
• Revising the curriculum is neither quick nor easy for Maastricht University. The process is carried out by an interdisciplinary team that considers both feedback and the needs of the specialty.  
• The study tour participants also talked to Kato, a final-year student and Kato’s mentor. We want to note her excellent presentation skills and fluent communication with the audience. It is the result of the approach to education when students from the first year enrich their knowledge and clinical skills and develop soft skills that are immediately visible. 

 Kato told us about her path in studying from the first year and showed us a busy schedule of internships in various clinics, which include clinics in the Netherlands, Belgium, and the UK. Another interesting fact is that all medical students at Maastricht University pass the same exam four times a year (by difficulty level). It is formative, and its results do not affect grades and transfer to other courses; there is no passing score, but the student sees their progress from course to course, which gives confidence. Yet, they independently note their gaps and weaknesses in knowledge, which motivates them to learn.