13 May 2024, at the meeting of the Rectorate Council of the International Higher School of Medicine (IHSM), Kenesh O. Dzhusupov, Head of the Department of Public Health, presented a report on the results of a work trip, the so-called “Study Tour Gratz”. The employees of IHSM visited the University of Applied Sciences FH JOANNEUM in Graz, Austria, as part of the Erasmus Plus project “Building Educational and Research Capacities in Nutrition and Dietetics in Central Asia / BERNICA”. The work trip took place from 15 to 19 April 2024, the delegation from the IHSM was headed by the Rector Stalbek Akhunbaev.

The purpose of the “Study Tour Gratz” was to develop educational and research opportunities in the field of nutrition and dietetics.

The speaker presented information about participation in the “Study Tour Gratz” activities, such as coordination meetings, training sessions for the completion of module development for nutrition and dietetics programs, work with the Moodle platform, and laboratory visits.

Participants of the BERNICA project familiarized themselves with the work of the health perception laboratory, where research is conducted on the study of beneficial foods, as well as sensory studies that identify various sensory disorders of nutrition using sensory booths and digital technologies.

In the food production laboratory, representatives from partner universities were shown the stages of developing, introducing prototypes into production, operating, and optimizing prototypes of equipment for food production. Additionally, laboratory staff demonstrated mechanical, thermal, and microbiological methods and processes for food processing.

In the sports science laboratory, methods for optimizing training schedules and developing physical therapy programs (sports and fitness therapy programs) were demonstrated, using three representatives from Central Asian universities, including an employee from IHSM, as examples.

After presenting information about the work trip, preliminary results of the BERNICA project were announced to the members of the Rectorate Council, achieved by all partner universities:

• Prepared materials for individual courses (articles, videos, presentations, books, and other resources, information from trainings);
• Compiled a collection of didactic methods and ideas;
• Created a template for the academic program;
• Established a Moodle course structure by modules, with corresponding materials being uploaded to the Moodle platforms of the partners.