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Mission
The MISSION of ELLLC is to ensure that under- and post-graduate education of dietitians is of the highest standard and to enhance the individual dietitian’s practice through education and continuous professional development (CPD). This is achieved through supporting students, dietitians, EFAD National Dietetic Associations (NDAs) and the higher education institutions (HEIs). Broader key benefits include ensuring the safety and welfare of dietetic service users,building societal trust in the dietetic profession and maintaining the integrity of the profession. This is achieved through partnership working (with NDAs, HEIs and the two other EFAD committees; Research and Evidence-Based Practice Committee (REBPC) and the Professional Practice Committee (PPC), and the European Specialist Dietetic Networks (ESDN), to define and share best practices in the areas of education and LLL.
Vision
The VISION of ELLLC is to support EFAD in achieving the highest quality of education and learning for the dietetic workforce in Europe.
Aim
To embed Lifelong Learning in dietetic practice
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- 1. Propose and implement strategies to embed Lifelong Learning (LLL) and dietetic competences for European Dietetics which supports the strategies of Member Associations
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- 2. Using best practice of member Associations and Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) advise on mechanisms for embedding Lifelong Learning for dietitians working and studying within Europe
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- 3. Liaise as appropriate with other European professional groups and monitor the developments in education and LLL of other health professionals
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- 4. Make recommendations to the EC on recognition of European Specialist Dietetic Networks
Committee structure
The Committee meet online approximately every 6 weeks to discuss how activities link to the EFAD Strategic Plan.
Current committee members include:
Who we are
Teacher
Nutrition and Dietetics programme, the Hague University of Applied Sciences
Invited Assistant Professor and Academic Services Coordinator
Faculty of Nutrition and Food Sciences of the University of Porto, Portugal
Course Director of the M.Sc. Human Nutrition and Dietetics programme at the University of Limerick
Lecturer at the UC Leuven-Limburg (BE), professional bachelor in Nutrition & Dietetics (an Education Associate member of EFAD).
Tasks and Priorities
Priorities
- To support the Executive Committee in developing policies related to education and LLL for example by performing scoping and mapping activities such as surveys on educational practices Europe wide.
- To support EFAD members in facilitating communication on issues related to intrinsic strategies for continuous professional development by disseminating new initiatives, providing tools, and best practice descriptions.
- To liaise with other Committees of EFAD to ensure a seamless and transparent approach to effective use of resources and implementation of initiatives.
- To continue to make HEI’s aware of and test the usability of outputs from the DIETS projects.
- Monitor pertinent European directives and developments of other professions (in collaboration with other committees of EFAD) and how these can inform the work of the NDAs, HEIs and EFAD.
Tasks
- To disseminate and support increased utilization of outputs from the DIETS projects, e.g. the European Dietetic Advanced Competences (EDAC) for CPD and LLL
- Support continuous professional development (CPD) and monitoring the development in Europe with regard to registration and CPD-requirements together with the PPC
- Investigate the feasibility of certifying/endorsing LLL courses
- Develop networking, information provision and use of appropriate media to support dietitians in their continuous professional development.
History of the ELLLC
Education and Lifelong Learning Committee (ELLLC) started in 2010 during the EU-Project DIETS2.
Since the establishment of EFAD in 1978 many initiatives have taken place to support the development of dietetic professional practice in Europe. EFAD has developed standards for the education, training and practice of dietitians in Europe (adopted in 2005 and updated in 2018) and European standards for practice placement requirements (adopted in 2010 and updated in 2022), a European standard for advanced dietetic competences (adopted in 2012), Pedagogical standards for practice placement teachers (adopted in 2013) and a Lifelong learning (LLL) strategy (adopted in 2013).
These initiatives have provided a solid basis on which to keep on building and developing. We are grateful to the individuals that contributed to them, but the job is not yet finished. Changes within EFAD, including the cessation of the Thematic Networks for Improving Education and Training Standards for Dietitians in Europe (DIETS1 and 2), and the inclusion of higher education institutions (HEIs) as Education Associate Members, provide new opportunities to support national dietetic associations (NDAs).
The ELLLC was developed to continue the work started and to provide help to HEIs and NDAs to implement results from DIETS1 and 2. Recent work has included the development of frameworks and criteria for registration, training and LLL, which includes continuous professional development (CPD) for the dietetic workforce.
We also seek to support HEIs in establishing effective models of pedagogical practice within Europe.
