The first NIPNET meeting with the Icelandic IPE representative was held on the 26th of November 2019. In a country of 360 000 habitants with a small but tight health care system, IPE is no less important than in bigger communities. The School of Health Sciences at the University of Iceland started a mandatory course for all students in 2013. This course has now developed into two mandatory courses, a whole day, one ECTS unit IP course for all first-year students, and a 5 ECTS unit course for all third year students within the health care studies. Further developments are planned in the future.
None of the academic staff running these courses has education in IPE, more taught by heart and clinical experience. The IP curriculum is run according to the ideology and the conviction that by learning together, we will work together to affect change, enhance quality of patient care, ensure safety and optimise deployment of human resources in the broad field of innovation, science and health care. Connecting and working with other institutions and groups within IPE establishes relationships with other like-minded organisations and can help support further development in Iceland. Furthermore, it can be a platform for sharing the same aims and values in IPE. “We, the Icelandic representatives, are excited to join NIPNET and we look forward to our work together.” The Icelandic representatives are: Ásta Bryndís Schram, Assistant Professor and Educational Developer at the School of Health Sciences– University of Iceland Ólöf Guðný Geirsdóttir, Associate Professor at Faculty of Food Science and Nutrition, the School of Health Sciences– University of Iceland.