4th MED-NET Conference

1st Announcement
June 8, 9 and 10, 2000
Hosted by the University of Padova 'Il Bo', Italy

"Strategies in Medical Training in the European Union, debate between politics and educational professionals"

• Med-Net

• The university of Padova, 'Il Bo'

• Co-ordinating committee

• Scientific Committee
• 4th MED-NET Conference Secretariat
• Introduction to the conference
• Structure of the Conference
• Contributions to the Education Market
• Abstracts
• Language
• Conference Dates
• Conference Venue
• Registration and Conference Fee

Med-Net

The Medical Education and Didactics Network offers a forum for discussion and communication on actual topics and issues in Medical Education in Europe. MED-NET is a Thematic Network within the EU-programme SOCRATES

The university of Padova, 'Il Bo'

Lantica Università degli Studi di Padova fa parte - con Bologna, Parigi, Oxford e Cambridge - dei grandi centri culturali del mondo occidentale ove si formò e si perfezionò, con i caratteri della completezza e della continuità, la idea-struttura del Gymnasium Omnium Disciplinarum, oggi diffusa in tutto il mondo. Le origini della Università di Padova risalgono a prima del 1222 che è ritenuto lanno di fondazione "nel senso del poter registrare una regolare e stabile organizzazione universitaria, pubblicamente riconosciuta". Contribuì in quel periodo anche un esodo di professori e studenti allontanatisi da Bologna per "le gravi offese ivi arrecate alla libertà accademica e per la inosservanza dei privilegi solennemente garantiti a docenti e discenti". Padova ha sempre posto in rilievo questo intreccio alle origini con l'Alma Mater di tutte le università (cioè quella di Bologna): lo testimoniano l'affinità di alcuni statuti e gli scambi frequenti di professori e studenti, pur nell'ambito di una secolare emulazione.

Padova University, named "Il Bo" (the Ox) shared with Bologna, Paris, Oxford and Cambridge, the more important European cultural centers, the honour to create and develop the structural idea, now spread all over the world, of Gymnasium Omnium Disciplinarum. The origins of Padova University date back to 1222, the official year of foundation, "in the meaning that was possible to register a regular and stable University organization, officially recognized". A student and professor exodus from Bologna contributed to Padova University origins because they could not stand any more of "the serious offenses brought to academic freedom and the lack of fulfilments of student and professor privileges which were formerly guaranteed". Padova, although in a spirit of centuries old emulation, always took the origin from Bologna Alma Mater (mother of all Universities) into great account and the interlaced origins still play a role testified by statutes and by frequent student and professor exchanges.

Co-ordinating committee

• Prof. Dr. P. Arslan,
  Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, Padova, Italy
• Maria Theresa Bernal,
  IFMSA, Universidad de Valadolid, Valadolid, Spain
• Prof.dr. E. Molina,
  Universita degli studi di Parma, Parma, Italy
• Prof.dr. S. Curtoni,
  Universita degli studi di Torino, Torino, Italy
• Ir. J. de Koning,
  University of Nijmegen, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
• Dott. D. Toffan,
  University of Padova

Scientific Committee

MED-NET Task Force

4th MED-NET Conference Secretariat

Dr. Alessia D'Amato
Ex-Instituto Medicine di Laboratoria
C/o Lab. Centr. (IIIp Monoblocco)
Via Giustiniani 2
I - 3128 PADOVA, Italy
Telephone: +39 049 821 2853
Telefax: +39 049 666 049
Email:

Introduction to the conference

On a European level new strategies and policies are developed concerning Education in general and Medical Education in particular. The objectives of a European Market sometimes lead to tensions between politics and educational institutes.

The fourth Med-Net conference will provide a unique opportunity to go more deeply into this debate. Representatives from the EU-politics and experts in Medical Education are invited to the discussion table. They shall consider the crucial aspects from the side of the European dimension and from the professional (education) side.

Typical issues are:

• The autonomy of Countries and Universities versus the legal status and the European-wide recognition of the medical profession;
• The effectiveness of the European strategies, such as mobility programmes, in harmonising, integration, and mutual recognition of medical training;
• The convergence of Medical Educational systems and cultural diversities;
• The resistance to changes and the changing demands of the society for new types of competencies and skills of medical professionals.

Structure of the Conference

The fourth conference focuses on the two 'tools' to achieve the European dimension, i.e. Quality and Mobility. The structure of the conference includes:

1. Introductions and discussions on the conference theme.
   As guest speakers Med-Net invites European politicians and European educational experts. In lectures, in a round table discussion, and in a panel discussion, various aspects of the European strategies are confronted with the visions of medical education experts, and the actual practice in quality care and mobility in Medical Education.
   
2. MED-NET reports
   The project groups will report on their progress concerning the collection of relevant data to support the discussions
   
3. The members consultation meeting
   
4. The Education Market

Personal contact is extremely important in international relations. In the current situation it is not always possible to find finances for travelling and meeting your partners personally. This conference again aims to stimulate personal contacts and to give everyone the opportunity to meet each other.

The education market gives the opportunity to freely discuss staff and student exchange, separate meetings of co-operating faculties, poster presentations of Faculties, and demonstrations of educational programmes.

Contributions to the Education Market

We invite participants of the conference to present their faculty, a specific topic or project relevant to Medical Education as a poster. A poster may concern:

• New technologies in education, experiences in curriculum innovation, profiles of medical schools and faculties, international co-operation projects, presentations of new projects;
• Demonstrations including multimedia courses, video presentations, home-page demonstrations;
• General presentations of associated networks, recent publications and background information.

Abstracts

Abstracts for posters should not exceed 300 words and should preferably be submitted electronically via e-mail to the . You are kindly requested to submit the abstract following the example given below:

Abstracts must be received by the Conference Secretariat before May 15, 2000. In that same month notice will be given about acceptance.

Language

The conference language is English.

Conference Dates

The Conference commences Thursday evening, June 8, 2000 with a honorary lecture and a welcome buffet, and will continue until Saturday, June 10, 2000.

Conference Venue

The Conference site will be at the main University Building, Via 8 Febbraio, 2 - 35122 Padova, Italy.

Registration and Conference Fee

Registration for the Conference is through the registration form. The completed form should be returned to the conference secretariat.
The conference fee amounts to 100 Euro. For students participation at the conference is free of charge.
The conference fee is exclusive travel and hotel accomodation.
Hotel reservations can be made using the registration form. However, after 15th of April reservations must be made directly with the hotel.
After receipt of your registration, you will receive an invoice for the hotel and conference fee.