Project partnership

The project partnership has been formed upon long-standing collaborations and awareness of each other’s work, and shared interests in efforts related to technology-enhanced learning in medical education.

The cooperation between UMFIASI and MU started in September 2012 when the “Memorandum of Cooperation” was signed between MU and UMFIASI and when the “Assessment of the e-learning platform of UMFIASI” has been performed by MEFANET coordinated from MU. Both institutions cooperated also in preparing the invited symposium at the international congress on medical education AMEE 2013 in Prague entitled: “Technology enhanced learning in regional networks focused on medical education”.

UMFIASI has extensive experience in development and management of large medical education projects, such as above mentioned PelUMFIASI and MEDICALIS, which have strong links to the proposed project. UMFIASI use patient cases for teaching and learning and is keen to implement the effective CBL through interactive VPCs into the curriculum, recognizing the growing significance of modern educational technologies including medical simulation.

MU has been the coordinator of MEFANET since it was founded in 2007 and UPJS have been always a core member and a key contributor to all MEFANET activities.

The collaboration inside MEFANET has brought:

implementation of modern ICT systems to support medical education (see http://portal.mefanet.cz [A]);
conferences and workshops (see http://www.mefanet.cz/);
publishing media – MEFANET Journal (see http://mj.mefanet.cz)

MU, as the leader of four projects linked to MEFANET, which were funded from European Social Fund and Erasmus+ programme, has brought this volunteer inter-institutional activity from its local beginnings into a professional network recognized on the European level. MU and MEFANET have an established interest in the use of interactive VPCs, having developed their own system for virtual-patient-style activities called Interactive Algorithms [B].

[A] Schwarz D, et al. Computer applications systems and networks for medical education – MEFANET: Czech and Slovak Medical Faculties Network. Brno: Masaryk University & Facta Medica. 2014. 230 p. DOI 10.13140/2.1.1383.0723.

[B] Schwarz D et al: Interactive Algorithms for Teaching and Learning Acute Medicine in the Network of Medical Faculties MEFANET, JMed Internet Res 2013;15(7):e135. doi:10.2196/jmir.2590.

UPJS systematically supports implementation of modern ICT-based teaching methods into the curriculum using combination of EU grants and own resources. The university uses computerized simulation techniques, 3D virtual projection, live streaming, video- conferences etc. to bring students immersive learning environment. UPJS also participates in testing and creation of national localization of MEFANET’s e-publishing platform and e-assessment management system. In 2014-2016, UPJS was one of three partners in the above-mentioned CROESUS Erasmus+ strategic partnership in which has gained know-how around ICT platforms for virtual scenarios in education.

All three universities have expertise in regards to the quality assurance mechanisms necessary for continuous evaluation of multilateral projects and those necessary within medical education and innovation of teaching methods. The project partners will bring the following 10 key competencies into the project:

(1) project management (UMFIASI, MU, UPJS);
(2) quality assurance (UMFIASI, MU, UPJS);
(3) education in biomedical fields (UMFIASI, MU, UPJS), engineering (UMFIASI) and natural science (MU);
(4) ICT and learn management systems (UMFIASI);
(5) ICT and medical simulation with virtual scenarios (UPJS);
(6) scenario-based learning and related pedagogy methods to facilitate self-directed learning (MU);
(7) curriculum inventory, mapping and management (MU);
(8) educational study design (UPJS) and
(9) data analysis and visual analytics (MU);
(10) software development, programming (UMFIASI, MU).

UMFIASI will enrich the existing e-learning platform with a new software component represented by the platform for virtual patient cases that will be implemented based on the technical authority of UPJS.

Also, UMFIASI will develop 24 virtual patient cases using the know-how of MU proved by the successful implementation of CROESUS.

All new content that will be created (methodologies and VPCs) by UMFIASI will be imported by MU and UPJS in their VPCs management systems in the benefit either of their own students or the national and European students.