Elke Naumann (Chair) High School of Arnhem and Nijmegen The Netherlands	Karin Van Ael Kempen University College Belgium	Anne Marie Favreau French Speaking Dietitians Association France
Marta Cuervos University of Navarra Spain	Ellen Govers (NMG Link) Dutch Dietetic Association The Netherlands	Reka Kegyes Dietetic Association Hungary
	Claire Bila Haute Ecole Leanoardo de Vinci Belgium
Juliana Almeida de Souza Polytechnic Institute of Braganca Portugal

The Education and Practice group focuses on dietetic education
in Europe and is especially interested in practice based learning

Objectives of the Education and Practice Group are:

• To describe areas of dietetic practice, education and training throughout Europe and the utilisation of ECTS.
• To develop quality indicators (in particular in practice based learning).
• To improve communications between educators and dietetic practitioners about practice competencies
• To harmonise education.
• To develop courses and to publicise best practice.
• To facilitate sharing of knowledge throughout Europe.
• To develop the role of the dietitian in the promotion of nutritional health embedding lifelong learning competences in first cycle degrees.

To meet the first objective, the Education and Practice Group produced an online education mapping questionnaire to investigate current education. In addition, visits between educators were organised in 2007. Visits will also be organised in 2008, this time involving not only educators, but also dietitians involved in practice based learning. After the visit, dietitians, educators and students will be encouraged to organise virtual meetings. A questionnaire will be used to exchange information between visitors and hosts about examples of best practice, particularly in practice based learning. The visits will help to improve communication between educators, dietitians and students, to develop quality indicators (in particular in practice based learning) and to describe areas of dietetic practice, education and training throughout Europe and the utilisation of ECTS. Examples of best practice will be communicated to all partners. In addition, partners will be encouraged to share examples of courses and reusable learning objects on the website. This will facilitate sharing of knowledge. A set of competences, including lifelong learning competences, will be produced by the Education and Practice Group after consultation of the Network partners. This will aid to the harmonisation and further development of the profession and life long learning. This will also aid the Bologna process and use of ECTS.