Professors Sumaiya Adam (Obstetrics and Gynaecology) and Werner Cordier (Pharmacology) proudly represented the University of Pretoria alongside several other South African delegates at the International LOOOP Symposium held in Germany on August 24^th and 25^th.

This symposium held special significance for the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Pretoria as Professors Adam and Prof Cordier underscored the pivotal role of the LOOOP curriculum software in mapping the Faculty's new MBChB curriculum. The faculty acquired LOOOP with the assistance of the MBChB Curriculum Review Team to support their efforts in documenting and aligning the new MBChB curriculum to their vision of a transparent, lean, person-centred approach to training medical graduates. The acquisition of LOOOP stretches beyond the medical degree, and can support curriculum mapping and design for other programmes in the institution as well.

Prof Werner Cordier delivering an insightful presentation at the International LOOOP Symposium, demostrating the power of LOOOP in aligning curricula with graduate competencies.

Prof Cordier's involvement extended further to discussing the role LOOOP will play in his pharmacology education research centred around aligning healthcare practitioner curricula to their graduate competencies. Curriculum mapping is a powerful tool in ensuring that constructive alignment between learning outcomes, pedagogy and assessment practice is achieved.

"To strive for quality education for our students in the various health professions, its important that we remain cognisant of how we are developing and maintaining their curricula. Capacitation of educators in good educational practice is essential to ensure this is achieved”, said Prof Cordier.

“LOOOP is a powerful tool that can help support such endeavours. It was amazing to see how various South African and European institutions have used LOOOP to help map their current and new curricula, and use it to streamline many of their institutions reporting functions to committees and accreditation bodies”.

The symposium attracted participants from both South Africa and Europe, fostering an environment of international collaboration in health professions education. Prof Olaf Ahlers, the visionary behind the innovative LOOOP platform, warmly welcomed the South African delegation and offered them an enlightening tour of the state-of-the-art simulation facilities at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin.

This impressive demonstration of expertise and collaboration reaffirms the unwavering commitment that members of the Faculty of Health Sciences have in order to remain at the forefront of health professions education. Congratulations are in order for Profs Adam and Cordier for representing the Faculty at a successful and impactful symposium.