Developing Subject Specific Competences and Cycle Level Descriptors for Occupational Therapy in Europe Through the Tuning Process

Abstract

Higher education in Europe has been in a process of change and harmonisation since European Ministers of Education signed the Bologna declaration in 1999. This process has been supported by the Tuning Project, initiated in 2000 by European higher education institutions, to “tune” higher education with a common understanding of cycle levels (equivalent to bachelor, master and doctoral), credit points (ECTS), competence based learning and quality enhancement. In 2003 the European Network of Occupational Therapy in Higher Education and the Council of Occupational Therapists for the European Countries joined to “tune” European occupational therapy education. This article highlights two areas within this project; the development of European competences and cycle level descriptors for occupational therapy. It is expected that this document will supplement World Federation of Occupational Therapists Minimum Standards (Hocking & Ness 2002) within occupational therapy education and assist in the regulation of the occupational therapy profession in Europe.

Keywords:

• Higher education
• Bologna declaration
• Curricula design