On August 18 and 19, Professor Yoshida, Jr. Associate Professor Kubota, and Researcher Kumazawa participated in the Interprofessional Education Training Course (IPE), hosted by the WHO Collaborating Centre at Gunma University.

The training course is an international program that brings healthcare educators and researchers from around the world to learn about the theories and practical approaches of Interprofessional Education (IPE) and Collaborative Practice (CP). This year marked the 13th edition of the program.

As part of the course, participants visited secondary healthcare facilities and home healthcare clinics, where they learned about the practical application of interprofessional collaboration in community-based healthcare, health promotion, and social welfare services.

The lectures provided an opportunity to deepen participants’ understanding of Gunma University’s initiatives in IPE and CP, including practical approaches to implementing interprofessional education and the evaluation of its outcomes.

In conjunction with the training course, discussions were also held on future collaboration as WHO Collaborating Centres between the two universities. Regarding collaboration with our university, the participants discussed the program and division of roles for an exchange event scheduled in September, which will primarily involve international students. We also exchanged views on potential opportunities for joint research and explored possibilities for further collaboration in education and research.

Through participation in this course, we had the opportunity to engage with a diverse range of healthcare professionals and educators from Japan and abroad, while gaining valuable insights into innovative approaches to interprofessional education and collaborative practice.

We look forward to further strengthening collaboration with the WHO Collaborating Centre at Gunma University and other institutions in Japan and abroad, and to applying these experiences to the advancement of our educational and research activities.