1. Podology education in the European Higher Education Area Tatjana Ivanova, Mārīte Saulīte LU PPMF DSP Prof., Dr.paed. Rudīte Andersone LU PPMF Rīga, 2014

2. Podologist or foot care specialist. (English - Podiatry, German - foot specialist) is a medical practitioner with a first level professional higher education (4 th level vocational skills, 5th LKI / ENI) Podology is a relatively new field of medicine in Latvia, and specialist education is particularly important in health care and the development of the country as a whole

3. Topicality The general aim of the European Qualifications Framework (EQF) as a common reference system is to promote lifelong learning principle and foster international mobility of inhabitants Latvia ECI offers the opportunity to describe the system of education in Latvia so that it and the qualifications awarded could be better understood in other countries (ECI, 2012)

5. AIM To describe the current situation in podology education in Latvia and to compare it with European higher education

6. Comparative analysis Podology education in Latvian 1 st Professional degree Great Britain Bachelor – prof.degree Italy Bachelor – prof.degree Malta Bachelor – prof.degree Poland 1 st Professional degree Switzerland 1 st Professional degree Germany 1 st Professional degree

7. Differences in the amount of credit points Latvia 2 years and 120 ECTS Malta 4 years and 240 ECTS Italy 3 years and 180 ECTS Great Britain 3-4 years and 180 ECTS

8. The first level professional study programs Latvia 80 CP= 120 ECTS 2 years Germany 60 CP= 90 ECTS 2 years Poland - 720 hours 3 years Switzerland 90 CP= 135 ECTS 3 years

9. Conclusions There are common tendencies in the contents of study courses in the description of each country’s study programs; however, the amount of hours for earing credit points differs in clinical courses. The amount of credit points (120 ECTS) in the podology education program in Latvia, which corresponds to the 4 th level of professional qualification, is insufficient for new specialists to join European labour market.

10. It is possible to improve the situation in podology education in Latvia by designing a new program for the next level of education

11. Sources 1.Latvijas izglītības sistēmas piesaiste Eiropas kvalifikāciju ietvarstruktūrai mūžizglītībai un Eiropas augstākās izglītības telpas kvalifikāciju ietvarstruktūrai. Pieejams:http://izm.izm.gov.lv/upload_file/Izglitiba/Muzizglitiba/Latvijas- zinojums-par-izglitibas-sistemas-piesaisti-EKI.pdfhttp://izm.izm.gov.lv/upload_file/Izglitiba/Muzizglitiba/Latvijas- zinojums-par-izglitibas-sistemas-piesaisti-EKI.pdf 2.Koncepcija „Profesionālās izglītības pievilcības paaugstināšana un sociālo partneru līdzdalība profesionālās izglītības kvalitātes nodrošināšanā”; MK 2009.gada 16.septembra rīkojums Nr.629 3.Podologie HF. Pieejams : http://www.bwzofingen.chhttp://www.bwzofingen.ch 4. The University of Milan. Pieejams: http://www.unimi.it/cataloghi/unicom/Unimi_Brochure_Inglese.pdf http://www.unimi.it/cataloghi/unicom/Unimi_Brochure_Inglese.pdf 5. Glasgow Caledoian Universitiy. Pieejams: http://www.gcu.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/courses/podiatry- 8898.php?loc=notuk http://www.gcu.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/courses/podiatry- 8898.php?loc=notuk 6.Maltas Universitātes mājas lapa. Pieejams: http://www.um.edu.mt/http://www.um.edu.mt/ 7.LU P.Stradiņa medicīnas koledžas mājas lapa. Pieejams: http://www.psk.lu.lvhttp://www.psk.lu.lv 8.Colege of cosmetology and health sciences in Lodz. Pieejams:http://www.wyzszaszkolakosmetyki.pl/en.htmhttp://www.wyzszaszkolakosmetyki.pl/en.htm 9. Sozialpflegeschulen Heimerer. Pieejams: www.heimere.dewww.heimere.de

12. Thank you!