Overview
1.1 Introduction to the Tutor Guide and SportsComp project
1.1.1. Introduction to the Tutor guide
This Tutor Guide will summarise the activities of a SportsComp project carried out during project’s Work Packages 2, 3 and 4, which took place between September 2023 – March 2026. The Tutor Guide displays the project’s key activities and offers information on the development of international sports physiotherapy competences, on the co-creation of e-learning courses and on piloting of e-learning courses. While the Guide presents the development work within the field of sports physiotherapy, the information presented in this Guide together with models, pictures and templates offer practical information for the academia, experts, students and wider audiences on the importance of competence-based education together with international project work.
The Tutor Guide will first present the SportsComp project and the activities and results of Work Package 2, the update of the sports physiotherapy competencies. This is followed by the description of the Work Package 3 on which three e-learning courses were developed based on the competency update. Finally, the Guide will summary the key findings from Work Package 4, which focused on the piloting of two of the e-learning courses with global learners.
1.1.2. Description of the SportsComp project
Higher education to improve competency in Sports Physiotherapy – SportsComp, is an Erasmus+ project implemented between 1.9.2023-31.8.2026. SportsComp is coordinated Jamk University of Applied Sciences and includes the following partners: University of Tartu, Vrije Universiteit Brussel’s, University of Thessaly, International Federation of Sports Physical Therapy) and funded by Erasmus+. The general objective of the SportsComp project is to increase the quality of sports physiotherapy (SPT) education and profession through SPT competency development. The project enhances the excellence of sports physiotherapy, physiotherapy, and rehabilitation education and supports the improvement of European health care and sport systems. This updated competency profile is needed to promote the global role of sports physiotherapists as experts in sports injury prevention and rehabilitation, return to sports and performance, injury risk management, and the safe participation in sports and physical activity across the lifespan of people of all ages and abilities.
The specific objectives of the project include
- long-term sports physiotherapy competence development of the academia, students, and professionals through updating sports physiotherapy competencies for the higher education institutions and sports physiotherapy organisations at European Qualifications Framework (EQF) level 7.
- to support the development of English-taught master’s degree programmes, courses, and flexible study options in sports physiotherapy through developing e-learning courses and materials at EQF level 7 through competence-based education, utilising digitalisation. The objectives address the digitalisation of sports physiotherapy through the development of digital readiness, resilience, and capacity. They support continuous professional development of the academia, professionals and students while enhancing the growing role of sports physiotherapy. The objectives also add to the development of new education programmes for upskilling sports physiotherapists, thus rewarding excellence in learning, teaching, and skills development.
The concrete results of the project include
- updated competencies of sports physiotherapy based on the EQF level 7 and a redefined role of the sports physiotherapist according to the CanMEDS2 model.
- three innovative e-learning courses in sports physiotherapy at EQF level 7, including innovative teaching and learning content and materials. The courses will be integrated to partner institutions curricula. This is done according to the competencies using digital methods and tools. The courses are developed based on the core competencies resulting from WP 2, which are found to be globally applicable irrespective of context in sports physiotherapy. The courses will be further disseminated to the academia and working life.
- a Tutor Guide to support competence development as well as learning and teaching for the academia, professionals, and learners to be used in different environments and settings while also supporting the knowledge and skills development of end-users and beneficiaries.
- a report on the competency update and e-learning materials, which includes two publications: 1) an update in competency in BJSM (British Journal of Sports Medicine), and 2) roles in BMJ SEM (British Medicine Journal Open Sport & Exercise Medicine). These are disseminated through the IFSPT’s website, giving potential for innovate joint curricula and courses between the partners and globally after the project ends.
1.1 Introduction to the Tutor Guide and SportsComp project
1.1.1. Introduction to the Tutor guide
This Tutor Guide will summarise the activities of a SportsComp project carried out during project’s Work Packages 2, 3 and 4, which took place between September 2023 – March 2026. The Tutor Guide displays the project’s key activities and offers information on the development of international sports physiotherapy competences, on the co-creation of e-learning courses and on piloting of e-learning courses. While the Guide presents the development work within the field of sports physiotherapy, the information presented in this Guide together with models, pictures and templates offer practical information for the academia, experts, students and wider audiences on the importance of competence-based education together with international project work.
The Tutor Guide will first present the SportsComp project and the activities and results of Work Package 2, the update of the sports physiotherapy competencies. This is followed by the description of the Work Package 3 on which three e-learning courses were developed based on the competency update. Finally, the Guide will summary the key findings from Work Package 4, which focused on the piloting of two of the e-learning courses with global learners.
1.1.2. Description of the SportsComp project
Higher education to improve competency in Sports Physiotherapy – SportsComp, is an Erasmus+ project implemented between 1.9.2023-31.8.2026. SportsComp is coordinated Jamk University of Applied Sciences and includes the following partners: University of Tartu, Vrije Universiteit Brussel’s, University of Thessaly, International Federation of Sports Physical Therapy) and funded by Erasmus+. The general objective of the SportsComp project is to increase the quality of sports physiotherapy (SPT) education and profession through SPT competency development. The project enhances the excellence of sports physiotherapy, physiotherapy, and rehabilitation education and supports the improvement of European health care and sport systems. This updated competency profile is needed to promote the global role of sports physiotherapists as experts in sports injury prevention and rehabilitation, return to sports and performance, injury risk management, and the safe participation in sports and physical activity across the lifespan of people of all ages and abilities.
The specific objectives of the project include
- long-term sports physiotherapy competence development of the academia, students, and professionals through updating sports physiotherapy competencies for the higher education institutions and sports physiotherapy organisations at European Qualifications Framework (EQF) level 7.
- to support the development of English-taught master’s degree programmes, courses, and flexible study options in sports physiotherapy through developing e-learning courses and materials at EQF level 7 through competence-based education, utilising digitalisation. The objectives address the digitalisation of sports physiotherapy through the development of digital readiness, resilience, and capacity. They support continuous professional development of the academia, professionals and students while enhancing the growing role of sports physiotherapy. The objectives also add to the development of new education programmes for upskilling sports physiotherapists, thus rewarding excellence in learning, teaching, and skills development.
The concrete results of the project include
- updated competencies of sports physiotherapy based on the EQF level 7 and a redefined role of the sports physiotherapist according to the CanMEDS2 model.
- three innovative e-learning courses in sports physiotherapy at EQF level 7, including innovative teaching and learning content and materials. The courses will be integrated to partner institutions curricula. This is done according to the competencies using digital methods and tools. The courses are developed based on the core competencies resulting from WP 2, which are found to be globally applicable irrespective of context in sports physiotherapy. The courses will be further disseminated to the academia and working life.
- a Tutor Guide to support competence development as well as learning and teaching for the academia, professionals, and learners to be used in different environments and settings while also supporting the knowledge and skills development of end-users and beneficiaries.
- a report on the competency update and e-learning materials, which includes two publications: 1) an update in competency in BJSM (British Journal of Sports Medicine), and 2) roles in BMJ SEM (British Medicine Journal Open Sport & Exercise Medicine). These are disseminated through the IFSPT’s website, giving potential for innovate joint curricula and courses between the partners and globally after the project ends.
