Twelve tips for crossborder curriculum partnerships in medical education

Abstract

Crossborder curriculum partnerships are a relatively new and fast-growing form of internationalization in which the curriculum that has been developed by one institution (the home institution) crosses borders and is implemented in another institution (the host institution). These partnerships aim to provide comparable learning experiences to the students in both institutions and are driven by a variety of motives, such as strengthening international networks, increasing financial gains, and stimulating research spinoffs. Although popular, crossborder curriculum partnerships are also criticized for their potentially low educational quality, failing to address fundamental differences in teaching and learning between the home and host institutions, and not addressing the educational needs of the host country’s health care system. Our aim is to provide guidance to those considering or engaged in designing, developing, managing, and reviewing a crossborder curriculum partnership or other forms of international educational partnerships in medical education. Drawing from research, personal, and institutional experiences in this area, we listed twelve tips categorized into four themes, which contribute to the establishment of sustainable partnerships that can withstand the aforementioned criticism.

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank all students, teachers, and program directors who participated in our previous studies on crossborder curriculum partnerships, which helped us to gain a better understanding of the challenges and strategies for this phenomenon.

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the article.

Notes on contributors

Dominique Waterval is a Manager of international projects and PhD student, School of Health Professions Education, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands.

Dr. Erik Driessen, PhD, is a Professor and Chair of the Department of Educational Development and Research, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands.

Dr. Albert Scherpbier, PhD, is a Professor and Dean, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands.

Dr. Janneke Frambach, PhD, is an Assistant Professor, School of Health Professions Education, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands.