Delawala Farhin, Heymans Yolande, Christmals Christmal Dela
Centre for HPE, Faculty of Health Sciences, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, Potchefstroom, South Africa.
Clin Teach. 2025 Oct;22(5):e70189. doi: 10.1111/tct.70189.
Although several theoretical guidelines and evaluations exist for IPE programme development and implementation, practical expert insights remain invaluable. For best practices, guiding future programme design and improving IPE implementation, we aimed to explore the perspectives of 15 international experts on the development and implementation of IPE programmes, including the challenges encountered.
A qualitative exploratory descriptive design was used. Fifteen international IPE experts were purposively sampled and individually interviewed using a semistructured interview guide incorporating the key areas of IPE programme development and implementation. Data were analysed using thematic content analysis.
Four themes were identified. Themes include IPE structure in higher education institutions; faculty and student involvement; challenges and opportunities; and evaluation and quality improvements in IPE programmes. International experts prioritised classroom-based learning, whereas Southern African experts underscored community-based IPE. IPE-related challenges revolve around institutional culture, resources, saturated curricula and professional hierarchies, including compulsory IPE inclusion requirements. Yet, these were overcome by opportunities to design innovative IPE programmes while fostering IPE scholarships and research funding.
IPE is gaining international recognition despite common, yet distinct, challenges and opportunities. Classroom-centric IPE models from HICs are challenged by digital storytelling, home visits and local community collaborations. We found that hierarchies and rigid curricula presented greater challenges than resource constraints. IPE integration in LMICs and underprivileged areas is indeed a transformative strategy for innovation and positive healthcare outcomes.
尽管存在一些关于跨专业教育（IPE）项目开发与实施的理论指南和评估，但实践中的专家见解仍然非常宝贵。为了获取最佳实践经验，指导未来的项目设计并改进 IPE 的实施，我们旨在探讨 15 位国际专家对 IPE 项目开发与实施的看法，包括所遇到的挑战。
采用定性探索性描述性设计。通过目的抽样选取了 15 位国际 IPE 专家，并使用包含 IPE 项目开发与实施关键领域的半结构化访谈指南进行个别访谈。采用主题内容分析法对数据进行分析。
确定了四个主题。主题包括高等教育机构中的 IPE 结构；教师和学生的参与；挑战与机遇；以及 IPE 项目的评估与质量改进。国际专家将基于课堂的学习列为优先事项，而南部非洲专家则强调基于社区的 IPE。与 IPE 相关的挑战围绕机构文化、资源、饱和的课程和专业等级制度展开，包括强制性的 IPE 纳入要求。然而，通过设计创新的 IPE 项目同时促进 IPE 奖学金和研究资金的机会，这些挑战得以克服。
尽管存在共同但又不同的挑战和机遇，IPE 正在获得国际认可。来自高收入国家（HICs）以课堂为中心的 IPE 模式受到数字故事讲述、家访和当地社区合作的挑战。我们发现等级制度和僵化的课程比资源限制带来了更大的挑战。在低收入和中等收入国家（LMICs）及贫困地区整合 IPE 确实是实现创新和积极医疗成果的变革性策略。
