From training initiative to fully-fledged innovative international programme: A story of staffand student cooperation at the university of groningen’s medical school

Abstract

Here we tell the story of the development of an International Bachelor of Medicine programme (IBMG) which, in the words of the programme’s manager prepares ‘students who know how to make decisions when they get into a new situation anywhere in the world, and who have an open mind for multiple solutions’. We trace the development of the IBMG, reflecting on how much it was driven by specific educational values, an informal culture, a highly motivated team, and the enthusiastic involvement of students. In narrating this story, we weave in multiple perspectives, not only those of the three authors but also those of many of the programme’s team members. First author, Kevin Haines is an educational consultant and teacher trainer who is specialised in English-Medium Instruction (EMI). Kevin works both in the Faculty of Medicine and at the central level in the university-wide International Classroom (IC) project.