Relevance in higher education : the case of low vision

Abstract EN

University programs in the disciplines of rehabilitation have a direct impact on the quality of life of a particular group of the community.

While their quality and relevance are of particular importance, the evaluation and accreditation processes of these programs don’t take into account the needs of the population already overlooked.

This is exemplified here in the field of vision rehabilitation.

Vision rehabilitation services are typically provided by optometrists, occupational therapists and special educators but in Jordan, students in these bachelor programs are poorly trained in this particular area.

Since 2007, the German Jordanian University has developed various programs (professional diploma, master’s, clinical training through an EU funded project) which aim at improving services to persons with low vision.

The courses attracted optometrists, educators, therapists as well as ophthalmologists from the region and beyond, while university programs remained unchanged.

At last, the production of high quality teaching material made available through a MOOC might be a cost-efficient solution to improve the relevance of university programs that serve a silent part of the community.

Our experience suggests that the criteria for quality education in university programs in the fields of rehabilitation should include a closer connection with the service users.