Press Release
Heerlen, 27November 2013
International education conference for midwives
Lifelong learning
The Faculty of Midwifery Education and StudiesMaastricht (AVM) in cooperation with the Royal Dutch Organisation of Midwives (KNOV)and the European Midwives Association (EMA) are organising the fourth International Education Conference 2013 on 29 and 30 November in Maastricht. This conference will set out the latest insights and types of education in the field of midwifery education.A specialfocus this year will be on testing, science, learning in practice, and leadership.This year's conference will take place in the Netherlands, among other reasons to celebrate the AVM’s centenary.
Leadership and science
Under the flag of the European umbrella organisation for midwives (EMA),over two hundred midwives from twenty countries will gather in Maastricht to discuss and exchange knowledge in its widest context.“Each midwife is either teaching, doing research or is in training. The driving force and leading role of midwives, as well as the raisingof the profession's academic profile, will be among the principalpoints on the conference agenda,” explainsRafael van Crimpen, director of the Faculty of Midwifery Education and Studies Maastricht.According to van Crimpen, the challenge for this level of education lies in how practice and science can be combined. This aspect is addressed in the ‘evidence based midwifery’; the method in which experience gained in practice can be introduced into the curriculum.
Academic approach to midwifery A current topic is the European regulations governing midwifery. Within this framework, the European umbrella organisation for midwives strives to achieve greater mobility in Europe for its professionals. To realise this, a basic level of education which all midwives in Europe need to achieve would be required. A commonpre-university foundationtraining could contribute to this. The educational perspective focuses on the recent introduction of a bachelor of science for midwifery. This is the first time that a three year university bachelor of science has been made equal to a completed four year bachelor at higher vocational education level.
Keynote speakers One of the keynote speakers at the conference will be Professor Raymond de Vries.Professor de Vries is head of the Research Centre forMidwifery Scienceand has been appointed by Zuyd as professor at Maastricht University, where the two institutions collaborate closely to promote a more academic approach to midwifery science. Anotherfascinating speakerwill be Soo Downe, Professor of Midwifery Studies at the University of Central Lancashire. Professor Downe is a recognised authority in Midwifery Studies.
Unique culture around childbirth The Netherlands has quite a unique culture surrounding the birth of a child, in particular where this concerns giving birth at home and in view of the autonomy of the midwife. There is a great deal of interest internationally in how countries can imbed this concept into their own care systems and curriculum.The Netherlands would like to take a leading role in the processof making midwifery a more academic profession and certainly looks forward to contributing to the discussion.
For more information on programme and speakers, please visit:
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Note for the editor and not for publication: For additional information, please contact:
Karlijn van Driel, Head of Communication KNOV, Telephone +31 (0)30 282 31 36, mobile +31 (0)6 20 022 217, Email:
Anitra van den Boorn, press officer, Zuyd Marketing and Communication department. Telephone: +31 (0)45 400 65 07, mobile: +31 (0)6 41 15 90 54, Email: