LEANbody project

27th – 28th of September 2024: Transnational Project Meeting (TPM) and Multiplier event – Symposium on Teaching in Medical Education: How to Teach Anatomy Effectively, Zagreb, Croatia

On Thursday, the 26^th of September 2024, Dr Michaela Racanska from Masaryk University team had the pleasure of visiting the Anatomy Institute at the University of Zagreb with Dr Thomas Matthew and Prof Cecilia Brassett from the University of Cambridge, a key member of the professional consortium of the LEANbody project. They were warmly welcomed by Prof Petanjek, the head of the institute, who provided them with an insightful tour through the university, sharing its rich history. They had an engaging meeting with first-year anatomy students, which was an excellent opportunity to discuss the importance of professionalism in medical education. The afternoon was spent exploring the vibrant centre of Zagreb, soaking in its cultural and historical charm.

The following days, the 27^th and 28^th of September 2024, were dedicated to the International Symposium on Teaching in Medical Education: How to Teach Anatomy Effectively. This event was organised by the Anatomy Institute of the School of Medicine, University of Zagreb. The team from Masaryk University actively participated in this symposium alongside esteemed colleagues, contributing to discussions on innovative teaching methods and quality management in medical education.

A transnational project meeting (TPM) for the LEANbody project also took place during this time. This meeting, which took place on Friday, the 27^th of September 2024, from 11 AM to 2:30 PM, and continued after the symposium on Saturday, the 28^th of September 2024, from 3:30 PM to 6:30 PM, was crucial for discussing procedures and assigning tasks to ensure the successful completion of the project. The meeting was held in the temporary premises of the Anatomy Institute, providing a conducive environment for productive discussions.

A highlight of the symposium was the informal dinner on the evening of 27^th of September 2024. This event fostered a relaxed atmosphere for networking and informal discussions, allowing participants to share insights and experiences in a more casual setting.

Detailed programme of the event

Programme of the Symposium

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9th of September 2024: Multiplier event – Symposium on Quality Teaching and Transnational Project Meeting, Telč, Czech Republic

The Symposium on Quality of Teaching Anatomy, a multiplier event of the LEANbody project was held on Monday, the 9^th of September2024, from 1:30 PM to 3:30 PM as a part of the MORPHOLOGY 2024 (55th International Congress on Anatomy and 60th Lojda Symposium on Histochemistry) held between the 8^th and 10^th of September 2024 in Telč and organised by the Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno. This annual conference gathers morphologists from the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and other countries who specialise in anatomy, histology, and embryology. During the Symposium on Quality of Teaching Anatomy the results of the project were presented based on the five main topics of the project. The LEANbody symposium also featured an informal dinner and discussions on the 9^th of September 2024, at 7:30 PM.

An ad hoc transnational project meeting was also held on the same day (between 4 and 6 PM) where the participants discussed pilot study prepared for the Department of Anatomy in Brno, as well as the projects’ progress, professional activities, and administrative tasks.

Morphology website

Detailed programme of the event

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15th of April 2024: Teaching Skills Development Workshop, Pécs, Hungary

The TPM was followed by the teaching skills development workshop that was held on the 15^th of April at 2 PM in the Dean’s Council Room, under the theme “From Friendship to International Collaboration in Medical Education,” it was conducted in English and a hybrid format.

The guests were foreign subject leaders committed to quality medical education, whom the organisers met through the ERASMUS+ LEANbody project. This workshop offered discussion about quality education and exchanges of experiences along the lines of general medical education traditions.

The speakers included:

• Dr Cecilia Brassett, teaching professor and lead anatomist at the Anatomy Study Centre, Department of Physiology, Development and Neurobiology, University of Cambridge, UK
• Dr Thomas Mathew, junior clinical demonstrator at the Anatomy Study Centre, Department of Physiology, Development and Neurobiology, University of Cambridge, UK
• Dr Vedran Katavic (online), professor of anatomy, University of Zagreb Medical School
• Dr Amani Eltayb (online), educational developer, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden

The lectures focused on well-known, complex pedagogical approaches that have proven effective in anatomy education (e.g., student-centred teaching, professional attitude development, constructive alignment in curriculum design). The lectures were followed with discussion, moderated by Dr András Nagy, the coordinator of the LEANbody consortium.

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12th - 13th of April 2024: Transnational Project Meeting, Pécs, Hungary

The University of Pécs, as the project coordinator, successfully organised a productive project meeting in collaboration with the consortium of all partners. The meeting was held in a hybrid form and the participants discussed the progress of the project, next steps for production of project results, and any troubleshooting issues. Participants from the UK attended in person, some of the participants from Croatia attended in person and some of them online. Participants from the Czech Republic and Sweden joined the meeting online.

During the meeting, participants gained insights into the teaching practices at the Institute of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Pécs. They discussed both theoretical and practical training methodologies. Additionally, the progress of the project, professional activities, and administrative tasks were discussed.

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19th – 23rd of June 2023: LTTA (19th – 21st June 2023) and Multiplier event International Symposium on the Teaching of Anatomy (22nd – 23rd June 2023), Pécs, Hungary

The workshop in Pécs covered essential topics such as teaching traditions, student-centred and teacher-centred pedagogy, support systems, and student mental health in university education. Participants explored educational approaches from universities involved in the LEANbody project (Brno, Cambridge, Stockholm, Pécs, Zagreb), gaining valuable insights. Discussions highlighted the strengths and challenges of student-centred versus teacher-centred education, with a notable shift towards student-centred pedagogy methods in Central Europe. Dr Laura Cszík presented effective support strategies for students and teachers at the University of Pécs, emphasising the importance of mental health and well-being. The event concluded with the International Symposium on the Teaching of Anatomy, featuring presentations and a round table discussion on teaching traditions, fostering collaboration and the exchange of best practices among participating universities.

Detailed programme of the event

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16th-18th of August 2022: Learning, Teaching and Training Activity (LTTA) hosted by Prof Cecilia Brassett at University of Cambridge, United Kingdom

The first Learning, Teaching, and Training Activity (LTTA) of the LEANbody project took place between 16^th and 18^th of August 2022, at the University of Cambridge. This project, led by Dr András Nagy from the UPMS Anatomy Department, aimed to enhance the teaching of human anatomy in diverse cultural and linguistic settings. The workshop provided a comprehensive understanding of historical and contemporary teaching practices at both Cambridge University and Karolinska Institute, while emphasising high professional standards.

Detailed programme of the event

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9th - 10th of December 2021: Transnational Project Meeting (TPM) - Kick-Off Meeting at the Department of Anatomy at Masaryk University in Brno, Czech Republic

A hybrid kick-off meeting for a new project LEANbody (an ERASMUS+ KA2 Cooperation Partnership project) was held in Brno between the 9^th and 10^th of December 2021. Participants from the UK (Cambridge University, Prof Cecilia Brassett), Hungary (University of Pécs, Dr András Nagy with a large Hungarian team) Croatia (University of Zagreb, prof. Zdravko Petanjek) and Sweden (joined on-line, Karolinska institutet, Dr Amani Eltayb) were introduced to the overall concept of the project, and individual tasks were outlined and assigned.

Prof Cecilia Brassett delivered a lecture titled ‘From pupil to professional: The role of anatomy in the journey of a medical student in Cambridge’ to Masaryk University academics and students.

Besides the activities on campus, participants also had a chance to visit Brno city centre. The foundations for further collaboration were established during this meeting.

Detailed programme of the event

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