Postacademical Training
"European Studies in Substance Misuse"
2003-2004
1. Background
Substance misuse is a global problem and no society or country has been left untouched by this problem. More than 200 million people worldwide abuse drugs and the number of problematic drug users in the European Union is estimated at approximately 1.5 million. Substance abuse is an important cause of individual and social tragedies: broken families, lost wages, infection with HIV or Hepatitis C, psycho-social problems, soaring health care costs, criminality, social nuisance and deteriorating communities.
With this Socrates-funded initiative we want to contribute to the rapidly expanding network of organizations throughout Europe, involved in the prevention and treatment of alcohol and drug problems. The participating departments and universities are closely connected to this field, as they are doing research, giving consultancy, advice and training, offering educational programs and designing courses.
In-service training of professionals and "evidence-based practice", in order to optimise drug treatment and prevention are gaining more and more importance. Therefore, this post-academical training will focus on specific prevention and treatment strategies, which have been subject to on-going scientific research, such as motivational interviewing, use of adequate diagnostic instruments, information and general prevention, adapting treatment to the needs of special target groups, continuity of care, relapse prevention, economic and social rehabilitation, involving the social network of drug users, continuity of care, case management, networking, …
2. Objectives
The aims of this European course on substance misuse are :
· To stimulate the development of adequate and "evidence-based" prevention, assessment and treatment strategies;
· To gain insight in the present-day state of prevention, diagnosis and treatment concerning special target groups;
· To create a platform for professionals in the field of alcohol and drug problems for the exchange of new insights and practices, based on an electronic learning environment and virtual discussion groups;
· To apply the knowledge and insights gained through the course in daily practice.
Throughout this training, participants will acquire specific skills and techniques related to the prevention, diagnosis, planning and evaluation of the treatment of drug problems. Moreover, they will be able to apply "evidence-based"-techniques in daily practice.
3. Target group
Students holding a Bachelor or Master degree in Social or Human sciences and who are actively involved in the field of prevention, treatment, policy of research concerning drug problems, are eligible to enrol in the postacademical training. Participants who do not hold these qualifications, can be allowed to follow the course after an initial interview with the responsible lecturer and/or after passing an initial test.
4. Practical organisation
The "European Studies in Substance Misuse" postacademical course is an online training programme, organised by the universities of Aarhus (Denmark), Bilbao (Spain), Ghent (Belgium), Maastricht (the Netherlands), Stirling (Scotland) and Stockholm (Sweden). In Belgium, the postacademical training will be organised by the Department of Orthopedagogics (Eric Broekaert) of Ghent University.
Each partner-university contributes to a specific section of the postacademical training in accordance with one’s expertise and is responsible for the organisation of the training in its own country:
- In Aarhus, the training is organised by the University of Aarhus, Center for Drug and Alcohol Research (Mads Uffe Pedersen & Vibeke Asmussen);
In Bilbao, the training is organised by the Instituto de Drogodependencias (Institute for Drug Dependence) at the University de Deusto (Luis Pantoja & Juan Antonio Abeijon);
- In Maastricht, the training is organised by the Maastricht University, Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, Division of Social Psychiatry and Epidemiology (International Institute for Psychosocial and Socioecological Research) (Charles Kaplan);
- In Stirling, the training is organised by the University of Stirling, Department of Applied Social Sciences, Scottish Addiction Studies (Rowdy Yates);
- In Stockholm, the training is organised by the School for Social Work at Stockholm University (Thomas Lindstein & Ronald Penton).
Since 3 years, the EU subsidizes the Curriculum Development Advanced-level (CDA) “European studies in substance misuse” within the Socrates-programme. This CDA is co-ordinated by the Department of Orthopedagogics (Ghent University). The previous years, the course contents and the practical organisation have been elaborated and there has been decided which electronic learning environment software package would be used. As the partner responsible for operating the electronic learning environment (Rowdy Yates, University of Stirling) has a license for and experience with WebCT, the decision to use this electronic learning environment has been taken.
This course is initially organized as a postacademical training in the participating universities awaiting the possible evolution towards a European Master-after-Master course.
4.1. Title
European Studies in Substance Misuse
4.2. Language
The course will be taught in English, as it is a collective postacademical training organised by several European universities, in which we make use of an interactive learning environment and discussion groups.
4.3. Total amount of hours
This postacademical training consists of 200 hours of theory (i.e. Intensive Programme (40 hours) and 8 on-line modules (160 hours)) and 180 hours of practice (including supervision). Moreover, 180 hours are reserved for writing the final assignment (including supervision).
4.4. Teaching method
The postacademical training consists of a Intensive Programme, theoretical modules, practice and a final assignment.
The intensive programme is a 10-day on-site training course, including theoretical lectures and more practical workshops. The theoretical lectures are an introduction to the themes which will be elaborated during the different modules, while the workshops are a practical elaboration of specific themes. During the Intensive Programme students also learn how to work with the electronic learning environment (WebCT).
After the Intensive Programme, the course contents, tasks and exercises of the different modules are taught online through the electronic learning environment. Besides course materials and tasks, this learning environment also includes a glossary, discussion groups, an email-programme and links to relevant websites.
Within the practical section of the course, students focus on one of the subjects which has been taught during the intensive programme or one of the online modules. In their workplace, students make a scientific evaluation of the prevention or treatment strategy they focused on, which results in a final paper. Students have regular contacts with their supervisor for performing this practice and for writing the final assignment.
4.5. Period – duration
The postacademical training will be organised for the first time during the academical year 2003-2004 and runs from October 2003 to June 2004. This course will be simultaneously organised in the universities of Aarhus, Bilbao, Maastricht, Stirling and Stockholm.
4.6. Dates and location
- The Intensive Programme will be organised in the beginning of October 2003 at the Department of Orthopedagogics of the Ghent University. The following years, the intensive programme will alternately be organised at one of the participating universities.
- The 8 theoretical modules will be organised for 2 weeks from October 2003 until March 2004 using the electronic learning environment. This learning environment is operated by the university of Stirling and is only accessible with a personal identification and password. URL:http://www.stir.ac.uk/departments/HumanSciences/AppSocSci/DRUGS/online.htm
- The practice can be performed at a place of the student’s choice during from March to June 2004, after deliberation by the supervisor.
- The final assignment should be finalized by the end of June 2004 or, if necessary, latest by September 15th, 2004.
4.7. Enrolment modalities and costs
Students are able to enrol for this postacademical training in each of the participating universities.
Ghent University students will be officially enrolled as students and therefore are required to contact the student administration at the Rector’s Building (Sint-Pietersnieuwstraat 25, 9000 Gent).
The tuition fee is 1000 Euro, including coverage for all necessary course materials; access to the electronic learning environment; participation in the Intensive Programme and supervision for the practice and final assignment. Travel, accommodation and subsistence costs for the Intensive Programme and the provision of hardware to access the online course (i.e. students are required to have a computer at their disposal) are not included in the fee.
4.8. Certificate
Participants who have attended the intensive programme, participated in the different theoretical modules and whose practice and final assignment have been positively evaluated, will receive an official certificate from the university where they are enrolled officially (cf. infra).
5. Programme
The postacademical training starts with a 10-day intensive programme, in which students are introduced in the different course contents and the electronic learning environment. During the intensive programme participants get an introduction into the different theoretical modules and participate in workshops on selected themes.
During the following weeks, the students are further taught in these theoretical courses based on distance learning. Each theoretical module is taught for 2 consecutive weeks and is followed by an evaluation at the end, based on a paper.
Afterwards students do practice – under supervision – concerning a specific topic that has been presented during one of the lectures of the workshops.
The final assignment is a research paper about a selected subject, preferably an evaluation of the practice.
5.1. Theory
Intensive programme (October 5th to 12th 2003) (6x7 hours=40 hours)
Theoretical modules taught by means of distance learning (WebCT) (8 x 20 hours=160)
(October 2003 – March 2004)
5.1.1. Substance misuse : European drug policy (Rowdy Yates) (20 hours) (13 – 26 October 2003)
- historical trends and policy
- drug trafficking and repression
- current national policy structures
5.1.2. Substance misuse : Community prevention (Luis Pantoja – Juan Antonio Abeijon) (20 hours)
(27 October – 9 November 2003)
- society and substance abuse
- prevention at community level
- evaluation of prevention-strategies
5.1.3. Substance misuse : Diagnosis (Juan Antonio Abeijon) (20 hours) (10 – 23 November 2003)
- evolution of diagnosis in substance abuse treatment
- essential aspects of good diagnosis
- treatment-planning
5.1.4. Substance misuse : Community as treatment method (Eric Broekaert) (20 hours) (24 November – 7 December 2003)
- introduction to the therapeutic community
- encounter methods
- family therapy
- 5.1.5. Substance misuse : Harm reduction-strategies (Rowdy Yates) (20 hours) (2 – 15 February 2004)historical basis
- substitution therapy
- a moral dillemma
5.1.6. Substance misuse: The social network of substance abusers (Thomas Lindstein & Ronald Penton) (20 hours) (16 – 29 February 2004)
- influence of the social network on substance abusers and vice versa
- involving the social network of substance abusers
- prevention and intervention strategies for influencing the social network of substance abusers
5.1.7. Substance misuse: continuity of care (Wouter Vanderplasschen & Eric Broekaert) (20 hours) (1 – 14 March 2004)
- co-ordination and continuity of care
- case management for substance abusers
- integration of different treatment systems
5.1.8. Substance misuse : Evaluation of substance abuse treatment (Vibeke Asmussen & Mads Uffe Pedersen) (20 hours) (15 – 28 maart 2004)
- treatment evaluation
- standardized monitoring
- qualitative evaluations
5.2. Practice (March 1st – June 30th 2004)
Participants undertake a work-placement training in an organisation or service involved in the prevention, treatment, policy or research concerning drug and alcohol problems. Students focus – under supervision – on one of the prevention or treatment strategies which have been presented during the theoretical modules. A report of this practice will be required.
5.2. Final paper (April 1st – June 30th 2004)
Following the practical training, students have to write a scientific evaluation of the intervention strategy they focused on. They will receive necessary supervision by one of the teachers.
6. Evaluation
During this postacademical training participants are evaluated on a permanent basis. Attendance during the intensive programme is obliged and at the end of these 10 days participants are evaluated on basis of their participation and the tasks they submitted. Students have to submit a paper, following 3 of the 8 modules. The practice and final assignment are monitored and evaluated by the lecturer who supervised the practice and assignment.
7. Registration
For further details or registration please contact:
Wouter Vanderplasschen/Dieter Windels
Ghent University
Department of Orthopedagogics
H. Dunantlaan 2
B-9000 Gent
Tel. 32-9-264 64 65
Fax. 32-9-264 64 91