idw – Informationsdienst Wissenschaft
Nachrichten, Termine, Experten
Nachrichten, Termine, Experten
In May, the Faculty of Medicine will launch an adaptation course designed to support the professional recognition of midwives who qualified in non-EU countries. The course is tailored to the individual needs of participants. Since midwifery training varies widely across countries – depending on education systems, medical standards and legal frameworks – midwives bring varying levels of skills and professional experience. The adaptation course, run by the Institute for Midwifery Science and Interprofessional Perinatal Medicine, is the first of its kind in Saxony and is intended as a pilot for potential expansion across Central Germany.
The project is supported by the Saxon State Ministry for Social Affairs, Health and Social Cohesion.
Petra Köpping, Saxon State Minister for Social Affairs, Health and Social Cohesion, says: “I would like to thank the Faculty of Medicine in Leipzig for its commitment to recognising foreign midwifery qualifications. Setting up such a pilot project involves considerable organisational effort. As the Ministry of Social Affairs, we were pleased to support both the development of a concept for an adaptation course and its initial trial run. I am all the more delighted that the course can now be launched in Leipzig. It gives midwives from other countries the opportunity to complete the recognition process close to home, here in Saxony. We do of course hope that these midwives will go on to build their professional lives in Saxony and that they can be retained as skilled healthcare professionals in the region.”
Professor Ingo Bechmann, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at Leipzig University, emphasises: “Thanks to our midwifery degree programme and expertise, we are well equipped, and the faculty is able to offer all the necessary foundations and high-quality facilities for this pilot project. We receive applications for the programme from across Germany and, above all, from abroad. We are working in partnership with several clinics and are very grateful that they are also contributing financially to the practical training component out of their own budgets.”
The first five participants in the pilot project, all already qualified as midwives, are between 26 and 49 years old and have been living in Germany for between one and five years. They come from Ukraine, Serbia, Kosovo and Iran, but since their qualifications are not recognised here, they are not permitted to work as midwives in Germany. Their training at the Faculty of Medicine at Leipzig University is planned to last twelve months and includes a practical placement in a clinic. “The duration of the course is tailored to each individual – it is adjusted according to their background and existing competencies. The length of the clinical training component can be adjusted as needed. At Leipzig University, we place great value on personal contact and in-person teaching. We also aim to integrate a wide range of practical exercises,” explains Professor Henrike Todorow, describing the concept behind the adaptation course.
“We are creating an entirely new network and have set up a dedicated team of experienced midwives for this new course,” explains the Director of the Institute for Midwifery Science, highlighting the extensive planning required for the pilot programme, which could eventually accommodate up to 20 foreign-trained midwives. “Looking ahead, we can imagine offering the programme across Central Germany. We are already in contact with the relevant authorities and will continue expanding our network of clinics. We warmly invite interested clinics to get in touch with us,” Todorow adds. So far, there are only a handful of comparable adaptation programmes for midwives from non-EU countries across Germany.
The adaptation course is aimed at individuals who have completed midwifery training or an equivalent degree in their country of origin and can provide the following: a formal decision from the relevant authority (equivalent to the Kommunaler Sozialverband (KSV) in Saxony), a B2-level language certificate, a valid residence permit, and an employment contract with a maternity clinic. Several clinics and partner organisations are involved in the Faculty of Medicine’s pilot project, including: the IQ Network (Integration through Qualification), the KSV, the Saxon Midwifery Coordination Office and the Saxon Midwives’ Association, the Vocational Training Academy at the University of Leipzig Medical Center, and the Federal Employment Agency. The programme is funded through tax revenues based on the budget approved by the Saxon State Parliament.
Professor Henrike Todorow
Director of the Institute for Midwifery Science and Interprofessional Perinatal Medicine
Leipzig University, Faculty of Medicine
Email: henrike.todorow@medizin.uni-leipzig.de
Tel.: +49 341 97-25154
Saxony’s Minister for Social Affairs Petra Köpping (centre left) and Institute Director Prof. Henrik ...
Swen Reichhold
Leipzig University
A trainer from the Faculty of Medicine explains the birth simulation model to the participants.
Swen Reichhold
Leipzig University
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Saxony’s Minister for Social Affairs Petra Köpping (centre left) and Institute Director Prof. Henrik ...
Swen Reichhold
Leipzig University
A trainer from the Faculty of Medicine explains the birth simulation model to the participants.
Swen Reichhold
Leipzig University
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