European Higher Health Care Education Curriculum: Development of a Cultural Framework

This article concerns the European Curriculum in Cultural Care Project (2005-2009), which aimed at developing a curriculum
framework for the enhancement of cultural competence in European health care education. The project was initiated and
supported by the Consortium of Institutes in Higher Education in Health and Rehabilitation, whose goal is to nurture
educational development and networking among member institutions. The framework is the result of a collaborative endeavor
by nine nurse educators from five different European countries. The production of the framework will be described in
accordance with the following tenets: developing cultural competence is a continuing process, cultural competence is based
on sensitivity toward others, and cultural competence is a process of progressive inquiry. Critique concerning the framework
will be presented.