The intensive Nordplus course in Kaunas successfully brought together an international community of occupational therapy students and lecturers to explore the impact of everyday technologies on activity accessibility and participation.

This year, students had the unique opportunity to work directly with real clients – patients from the Kaunas Hospice Home, who generously shared their daily routines and the challenges they face.

The course was held at Kauno kolegija Higher Education Institution, with a programme designed to make the most of the international context. Participants were able to gain valuable insights through intercultural collaboration, enabling them to compare occupational therapy practices from a range of countries. The intensive course welcomed students and lecturers from Iceland, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Estonia, and Latvia, comprising a total of 7 lecturers and 23 students.

A key element of the course was the use of the Design Thinking method, which served as the primary tool for innovative, user-centred problem-solving. The main focus was to assess the autonomy limitations of patients at Kaunas Hospice and to develop skills related to improving the accessibility of everyday technologies. Learning activities were highly interactive and practice-oriented: theoretical concepts were introduced in lectures and then immediately applied in group work.

A highlight of the programme was the preparation of pitch presentations, where students developed and showcased ideas for technologies that could enhance the daily lives of hospice clients and optimise care provision. The week in Kaunas not only provided students with the chance to build professional connections with occupational therapy colleagues from across Europe but also allowed them to immerse themselves in the city’s rich culture and environment.