Last month, the Ida Institute convened the first ever Australasian Academic Panel for audiology professors interested in rehabilitation and counseling representing universities from Australia, the Philippines, China and Malaysia. The two-day panel session, co-sponsored by the University of Queensland, explored opportunities to integrate Ida’s innovative education materials and teaching methods into undergraduate and graduate curricula.
"While Australian university department heads and professors meet annually to discuss academic issues, this was the first time that programs representing the Pacific Rim had an opportunity to become part of the discussion", said Louise Hickson, Head of School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences at the University of Queensland.
"The Institute is excited about the willingness of so many outstanding educators to partner with us in reaching the next generation of hearing care professionals," said Lise Lotte Bundesen, Managing Director of the Ida Institute. "Through this process, the Institute hopes to affect positive growth for students and the profession and ultimately, to deliver an improved quality of care to people with hearing loss."
In addition to a successful academic panel, the Institute also conducted two workshops in Sydney and Melbourne, educating more than 100 audiologists in Australia. The workshops engaged participants in a unique collaborative inquiry process with a goal of providing practical, actionable knowledge and tools to facilitate patient-centered hearing care.