Educational research is essential for finding new and better ways to educate doctors, nurses, physical therapists and other health professionals. The general aim of all SHE research, including the PhD programme, is to provide support for research and innovation in health professions education. Maastricht University belongs to the top PhD programs in the world with high internationally recognized standards".
Pim Teunissen, Research Director
SHE Research Programme
Research on education is crucial to increase our understanding about how to optimally educate health professionals in order to prepare them for the delivery of high-quality care within the dynamic context of the healthcare setting and to support innovations in education. Current instructional design approaches emphasize the importance of using task-centered learning environments within training programs, in which learners either work on professional tasks in the clinical workplace or on learning tasks based on professional problems in the educational institute.
SHE’s research programme 2018-2023 is called Task-Centered Learning Environments in the Health Professions. The programme has four main themes: (1) goals and values of and approaches to evaluation, (2) approaches to instruction, (3) approaches to assessment, and (4) approaches to implementation. The full description of the programme can be found here.
SHE Publications
SHE Midterm report 2018 – 2020
In October 2021, a midterm committee assessed our Graduate School of Health Professions Education (SHE). In preparation of this assessment, we have written a midterm report in which we look back at all SHE activities from 2018 until 2020 and look at where we stand now, while also looking ahead. We thank all of our staff and affiliates who have contributed and still continue to contribute to our successful activities, and we are open to your suggestions or any queries you might have about the activities of SHE.
Click here for the SHE Mid-term Evaluation report 2018-2020
Click here for the SHE Mid-term Evaluation report Appendices
Click here for the SHE Case studies
The final SHE Mid-term Review Report
SHE Research Assessment 2012-2017
In the Dutch university system, research programs need to be accredited each six years. The SHE research program has been assessed for the period 2012-2017, together with programs in the field of educational research from the University of Amsterdam, Utrecht University, the University of Groningen, the University of Leiden, the Open University of the Netherlands, and the national research school ICO. Research programs were assessed on three criteria: Research quality, Societal impact and Feasibility. We are very pleased with the outcomes of the assessment of the SHE research program: Excellent for Research quality, Excellent for Societal Impact, and Very Good for its feasibility. The full assessment report can be found here.
Other Publications
PhD Dissertations/Ongoing SHE Dissertations PhD projects
- PhD dissertations completed in 2020
- PhD dissertations completed in 2019
- PhD dissertations completed in 2018
- PhD dissertations completed in 2017
- PhD dissertations completed in 2016
- PhD dissertations completed in 2015
- PhD dissertations completed in 2014
- PhD dissertations completed in 2013
- PhD dissertations completed in 2012
- PhD dissertations completed in 2011
Daniel Schumacher winner of SHE’s Dissertation Award 2020!
At the School of Health Profession Education, we have about 15 PhD candidates each year that defend their PhD Thesis.
Many of these theses are of very high scientific quality. To honor our PhD candidates and to celebrate scientific progress in health professions education we offer an annual SHE Dissertation Award for the best PhD thesis defended in a particular year.
The SHE Research management team has studied all theses that were defended in 2020 and, after careful consideration, selected Daniel Schumacher’s thesis as the winner of the SHE Dissertation Award 2020. His thesis represents scientific work of the highest quality, offers novel perspectives on and research approaches to the much-studied topic of assessment and exemplifies how educational research can lead to impact on patient care. See the announcement video here.