The ISPO (International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics) Educational Committee has decided to hold the first ISPO Global Educators Meeting from June 25-27, 2014 in Kobe, Japan.

 

The 3-day event will bring together prosthetics and orthotics educators, school officials, NGOs, related-organizations, and interested industry representatives from around the world to raise the level of prosthetics and orthotics education as well as strengthen and deepen prosthetics and orthotics expertise globally by broadening coordination between prosthetics and orthotics schools. The meeting is receiving backing from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Hyogo Prefecture, Kobe City, and the Jikei Group of Colleges.

 

The Kobe College of Medical Welfare, Sanda Campus, which also hosts the ISPO Member Society in Japan, will act as the local conference organizer in Kobe. In September of 2012, the 4-Year Prosthetics and Orthotics Department at Kobe College of Welfare, Sanda Campus became the 4th school in Asia and the 12th school worldwide to be certified as an ISPO Category 1 Professional Training Program. ISPO categories evaluate the level of education provided by educational institutions and are graded as Category I, Category II, or Category III. Category I is the highest level of certification and is awarded to institutions delivering a formal, structured bachelor’s degree level program 3 to 4 years in length.

 

Kobe Sanda graduates many orthotists and prosthetists who will be active internationally teaching at universities in Asia. Kobe Sanda’s record of success likely influenced the ISPO’s decision to choose Kobe as the host city for the Global Educators Meeting. The number of participants for the meeting is expected to exceed 150. On the second day of the 3-day meeting, participants are scheduled to visit Kobe Sanda and take part in a tour of the facilities to be given by the students in English. Chairperson Ukifune is also scheduled to give a talk on professional education at specialized training colleges in Japan the same afternoon.