The Last Day of the Symposium-Webinar on “Internationalization of Higher Education During the Coronavirus Crisis” Was Held, Focusing on the Educational Challenges of Medical Sciences in Post-Covid-19 and the New Normal Condition

The third day of the symposium-webinar was held on May 20, 2020 in three sub-panels simultaneously. The moderators of the three subpanels attended in an interview and gave brief explanations about each sub-panel as follows:

Dr. Nekoofar, the Director of International Relations and the moderator of the Sub-panel of Educational Challenges in Dentistry stated:

“The promising and very important point, which was well-mentioned by most of the participants in the panel, was the reopening of universities, at least to provide emergency dental treatment. Along with this approach, maintaining the health of students, staff and academics as the main responsibility of universities in dental education was emphasized by the attendees. One of the most important challenges is the exposure of dentists and students to airborne biological particles (aerosols) infected with the coronavirus. In this regard, the experience of Beijing University shows the importance of preparing special clinics for Corona patients and observing a time interval of 30 minutes between the patient's departure and the next patient's arrival and disinfecting the treatment room.
Most attendees emphasized the importance of recognizing dentists as members of the medical team, especially for patients with acute dental problems, and also a distinction should be made between patients with coronavirus and healthy people, and in order to maintain social distance and increase the speed of service, the information of those who need dental services during this period should be provided electronically and remotely to the medical staff. The ethical and legal issues related to receiving remote patients’ information and how to confirm this information are another challenge. Indiana University is implementing a practical model in this area and will share the results with other universities”.

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Dr. Amir Hossein Takian, the moderators of the sub-panel of Educational Challenges in Public Health and Medical Sciences said:

“According to experts at the panel, Coronavirus prevalence and epidemic have changed the paradigm of higher education and internationalization, and what is clear is that scientific and academic centers are mostly turning to online education and blended learning. At the same time, considering the entry into an indefinite period of public health, the issue of infectious diseases is gaining importance again. Also, according to these experts, global health has become a serious concern for those who are active in the field of medicine, and cooperation between universities and scientific centers around the world and the exchange of experiences gained at this time seems to play an effective role in increasing the horizon of doctors and medical students’ vision. Today's health category has affected many policymaking sectors, providing a great opportunity for health and education systems around the world. Evidence shows that in higher education, especially in the field of public health, we need assistance and cooperation of experts in other fields such as sociology, internationalization, culture, and public education more than ever before. Despite the challenges and hardships that Coronavirus epidemic has brought, it seems that it has also provided good opportunity for promotion of public health higher education. This panel provided an opportunity to share concerns, experiences and even questions that have become a serious concern for universities around the world today, and we hope that this experience and similar events will enable scientific centers to provide clearer answers to these challenges”.

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Dr. Azim Mirzazadeh, the moderator of the sub-panel of Educational Challenges in Medicine and Physical Therapy stated:

“The main challenge of medical education in the context of coronavirus epidemics is clinical and practical training and the encounter of doctors and students with patients. The risk of coronavirus have caused universities and scientific centers in different parts of the world to temporarily stop their clinical training. Meanwhile, in the field of basic sciences, the biggest concern is the quality of education that is provided online and remotely, while the evaluation of this form of education and how to hold exams is also associated with various issues. The Coronavirus Crisis is a new and unknown issue for all countries, and there are many similarities regarding the threats and opportunities created, so we must all prepare ourselves, change our minds, and look for innovative and creative solutions. The slogan of education with Coronavirus should be at the forefront of academic activities, since education cannot be completely shut down or postponed due to this disease.”

At the end, the panelists praised the quality of the panel, the topics discussed and the participation of the participants.