From the Faculty of Physics, the Vice-Dean María Amparo Díez Ajenjo and the Mobility Coordinator for the Degree of Optics and Optometry (GOO), Rosa Mª Hernández Andrés, have traveled to Riga to visit the University of Latvia, with the aim of establishing future collaborations between both universities members of the FORTHEM group.
Both professors taught two seminars to 3rd year students of the Optometry Degree and Master of Optometry, entitled: "Colour vision deficiencies" and "Amblyopia: new treatments and perspectives", respectively.
During the visit, several issues of interest to both universities were discussed. The first of these was how to promote the mobility of ERASMUS+ students. This year, for the first time, a GOO student went to the University of Latvia. Now we hope that Latvian students will come to do Erasmus at the Faculty of Physics, but for this we have to facilitate the previous learning of Spanish, through on-line courses.
The second topic was to know first hand how they have implemented teaching in English for the GOO, since they have fewer students than at UV. Their experience could help to progressively organize new possibilities for teaching in English in the GOO of the UV.
The third was to obtain the European Certificate of Optometry (ECO), which the University of Latvia has recently approved, together with the South-Eastern University of Norway, the Fachhochschule Nordwestschewiz of Switzerland, the Beuth Hochchchule of Germany, the Karolinska Institute of Sweden, or the University of Utrech in the Netherlands, among other centers. From the Faculty of Physics, Professor María Amparo Díez has participated in several meetings at European level and will soon resume efforts to advance in this ECO certificate.
The fourth issue was to address the possibility of organizing a Blended Intensive Program (BIP) between both institutions, since the two universities are in the FORTHEM alliance. BIPs are short term (1 week) programs such as summer schools for Bachelor, Master and PhD students. The faculty team of the University of Latvia has been very receptive to this proposal. Recently Professor Valeria Militello, Coordinator of the Optometry Degree of the University of Palermo (UNIPA) accepted with enthusiasm the proposal, so that we are already three universities to be able to organize it. In the next few weeks we will start the first meetings and procedures.
Finally, we informed the Latvian teaching staff about the Symposium International of Young Optometrists (SIYO) that in November 2024 the VII edition will be held. They expressed their interest in participating from several perspectives: Organizing Committee, Scientific Committee and poster or oral communication presentation or attendance by their students.
In short, the visit has been very positive for both parties, opening new avenues of collaboration, and always focusing on the learning process of students of Optics and Optometry Degree and Master in Optometry and Vision Sciences of our University.
