This initiative seeks to enrich the educational experience of undergraduate occupational therapy students by fostering intercultural competence and cultural humility through a virtual exchange (VE) between Uppsala University (UU) and the University of Galway (Gal). Through a phased, year-long integration into existing curricula, students engage in collaborative online learning, problem-based discussions, and hybrid lectures that challenge them to reflect on occupational therapy across cultural contexts.
In earlier part of the VE, students explore cultural perspectives in occupational therapy via hybrid lectures, and group discussions on the Canvas learning platform. The latter phase deepens this engagement through case-based learning and group work within modules focusing on physical disability and assessments/interventions. The initiative promotes both synchronous and asynchronous interactions to develop communication, collaboration, and professional reasoning.
By embedding VE activities within mandatory coursework and leveraging shared digital infrastructure, the project ensures sustainability. It also aims to serve as a model for embedding internationalisation within undergraduate health sciences curricula. Anticipated outcomes include enhanced student awareness of cultural dimensions in therapy, strengthened teamwork in multicultural settings, and improved patient-centred care delivery.
The intiative’s true highlight lies in its early and sustained integration of intercultural competence within undergraduate education, fostering globally aware occupational therapists from the outset of their training. The structured use of hybrid methods and technology-enhanced reflection ensures a rich, collaborative learning environment that transcends geographic boundaries. By embedding internationalisation in core curricula, it establishes a sustainable, scalable model that can inspire broader academic reforms.
Participants and Stakeholders
Coordinator
Mr Manigandan Chockalingam
Lecturer, Occupational Therapy Discipline
School of Health Sciences, University of Galway
Dr Susanne Assander
Senior Lecturer, Division of Occupational Therapy
Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, Uppsala University
Other Partner Institutions
- Uppsala University
Team Composition:
Dr Susanne Assander – Senior Lecturer, Division of Occupational Therapy, Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, Uppsala University.
Dr Maria Borgestig – Senior Lecturer, Division of Occupational Therapy, Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, Uppsala University (Undergraduate Occupational Therapy Program Director at Uppsala University)
Mr Manigandan Chockalingam – Lecturer, Occupational Therapy, University of Galwa
Dr Jackie Fox – Lecturer, Occupational Therapy, University of Galway
2–3 additional academic staff and 4–6 administrative personnel across both institutions will support the initiative’s planning, implementation, and evaluation phases.
Stakeholder/External partners
- Occupational Therapy academic departments at both universities
- Undergraduate occupational therapy students (approx. 100 annually)
Objectives
The primary objectives of the ECCHOT initiative are to:
- Enhance intercultural competence among undergraduate occupational therapy students by deepening their understanding of cultural practices, beliefs, and occupational patterns that influence therapeutic engagement and outcomes.
- Promote cultural humility by fostering awareness of implicit biases and encouraging critical reflection on one’s own cultural positioning within professional practice.
- Develop transferable professional skills, including effective communication, and problem-solving, through active participation in virtual exchange activities.
- Foster collaborative learning by facilitating international teamwork via synchronous and asynchronous digital platforms.
- Embed internationalisation within core curricula to create a sustainable, scalable educational model that broadens students’ global perspectives without requiring physical mobility.
- Leverage digital tools (e.g., Canvas) to support hybrid learning environments, enabling both individual reflection and group collaboration across institutions.
Contact
Contact persons
Mr Manigandan Chockalingam, Lecturer, Occupational Therapy Discipline and ECCHOT project lead and coordinator at the University of Galway.
Dr Susanne Assander, Senior Lecturer, Division of Occupational Therapy, and ECCHOT project lead at the Uppsala University.
Additional Information
Unique Features or Highlights:
- Early integration of intercultural competence into undergraduate education: The initiative introduces students to cultural humility and international perspectives at the outset of their academic journey, shaping their professional identity from the first semester.
- Sustainability through curricular embedding: By aligning the virtual exchange with existing, mandatory modules in both universities’ occupational therapy programmes, the initiative ensures continuity beyond the funded period.
- Institutional transformation: Beyond benefiting students, the initiative provides academic and administrative staff with a framework for scalable internationalisation that may be adapted across disciplines.