title: Community-university partnerships in occupational therapy education: a preliminary exploration of practice in a European context.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore community-university partnerships in occupational therapy education in Europe.
  
  
  METHODS
  Educators from Europe were invited to participate in the study. Data were collected using a questionnaire designed for the study. Eleven completed questionnaires were included. Descriptive statistics were generated from quantitative data while qualitative data were analyzed using inductive content analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The majority of participants reported that community-university partnerships were part of the third year of undergraduate occupational therapy studies. Partners were from a broad range of sectors. The activities undertaken were typically focused on specific target groups within the community. Three main themes emerged from the qualitative analysis (i) instigating community-university partnerships, (ii) processes of creating and sustaining partnerships and (iii) perceived outcomes of community-university partnerships.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first study of community-university partnerships in Europe generating some useful findings. Clarification is needed regarding the use of the term community-university partnership. Educators are called upon to consider how partnerships are embedded into curricula and to address issues of sustainability.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Healthcare education should prepare rehabilitation professionals to collaborate with diverse communities. Community--university collaborations appear to offer opportunities to support students to develop competences for future community orientated practice. Key issues to be considered include choice of pedagogical approach, issues of reciprocity and sustainability.
authors: School of Health Sciences, College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, National University of Ireland , Galway, Ireland .
authors: Margaret
authors: M
authors: McGrath
authors: Ines Viana
authors: IV
authors: Moldes
authors: Hetty
authors: H
authors: Fransen
authors: Saskia
authors: S
authors: Hofstede-Wessels
authors: Karin
authors: K
authors: Lilienberg
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000488:Allied Health Personnel / Q000193:education; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003479:Curriculum; D004517:Education, Professional / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005060:Europe; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D007858:Learning; D009788:Occupational Therapy / Q000193:education*; D016730:Program Development; D055818:Public-Private Sector Partnerships; D014495:Universities