General Information
This subject focuses on developing and consolidating graduate competencies, consistent with profession-specific competency standards, including those relevant to international physiotherapy practice.
The subject will emphasise the development of skills and behaviours that are essential for learning in a clinical practice environment. Students will explore physiotherapy practice from an international perspective, including consideration of inter-professional team roles across countries, and the effects of different cultural, political, economic, and physical environmental issues and priorities. They will undertake and reflect on a range of activities in a series of classroom-based sessions and an international excursion (or equivalent domestic experience). Learning activities will provide the opportunity to develop and demonstrate advanced-level cultural competency and professional leadership.
-
Details
Academic unit: Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine Subject code: PHTY71-600 Subject title: Global Physiotherapy: Culture, Context and Practice Subject level: Postgraduate Semester/Year: January 2026 Credit points: 10.000 -
Delivery & attendance
Timetable: https://bond.edu.au/timetable Delivery mode: Situated Workload items: - Seminar: x1 (Total hours: 3) - Inroductory content related to assessment and excursion requirements
- Workshop: x9 (Total hours: 27) - Face-to-face (online/on-campus) synchronous and asynchronous workshop activities linked to subject content and excursion requirements
- Work-based Training: x40 (Total hours: 80) - International excursion or equivalent Australian experience
- Personal Study Hours: x24 (Total hours: 10) - Personal study
Attendance and learning activities: This subject includes Compulsory Learning Activities. Students must attend and participate in all Compulsory Learning Activities. If a student has a legitimate reason for non-attendance, they must notify the subject convenor as early as possible and provide documentation (i.e. absence form, medical certificate, statutory declaration). Acceptable grounds for requesting the approval of absences include, but are not limited to, if the Student has: an illness, an accident, a family bereavement/funeral attendance, special religious occasions, and representative sporting events at a state, national or international level. Late arrival or early departure from any teaching session without the demonstration of acceptable grounds and supporting documentation will be deemed to be an unplanned absence. STUDENT LEARNING RESPONSIBILITIES Students are expected to take a significant level of responsibility for their own learning. Students are required to: take the initiative to identify, apply, and integrate material from other subjects and other sources to the present subject; be responsible for being pro-active learners in the clinical setting; practice and reflect on their performance. Bond University forwards student names to AHPRA in the first semester of enrolment in the Doctor of Physiotherapy program stating they are a current physiotherapy student. This means that students are being educated within the legal framework for practice as a physiotherapy students and must display the professional behaviours and attitudes required of all health professionals. It is essential that students conduct themselves in accordance with the Doctor of Physiotherapy Program Charter that was signed at the start of the Program. Professional behaviour and appropriate professional attitudes must be evident in all clinical and non-clinical learning activities and can be grounds for disciplinary action, including failure in this subject if students’ behaviours do not align with the expectations of the physiotherapy profession. Should concerns be raised about students' conduct, educators will consult with the subject convener and/or Head of Program. The Head of Program may: implement a mentoring program; give an informal warning; refer to the Associate Dean of Student Affairs and Service Quality (ADSASQ) for review and attention. The outcomes of these steps may result in an informal warning and monitoring of progress, a formal warning, grade penalties (marks which could impact on grades), or referral to the Dean or Faculty for disciplinary procedures. -
Resources
Prescribed resources: No Prescribed resources.
After enrolment, students can check the Books and Tools area in iLearn for the full Resource List.iLearn@Bond & Email: iLearn@Bond is the Learning Management System at Bond University and is used to provide access to subject materials, class recordings and detailed subject information regarding the subject curriculum, assessment, and timing. Both iLearn and the Student Email facility are used to provide important subject notifications.
Additionally, official correspondence from the University will be forwarded to students’ Bond email account and must be monitored by the student.
To access these services, log on to the Student Portal from the Bond University website as www.bond.edu.au
Class recordings: The majority of this subject's classes will not be recorded due to one of the reasons outlined in the Recording policy.
Students are encouraged to attend all sessions as these recordings will not be available for revision purposes.
For further information please contact the subject coordinator.
| Academic unit: | Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine |
|---|---|
| Subject code: | PHTY71-600 |
| Subject title: | Global Physiotherapy: Culture, Context and Practice |
| Subject level: | Postgraduate |
| Semester/Year: | January 2026 |
| Credit points: | 10.000 |
| Timetable: | https://bond.edu.au/timetable |
|---|---|
| Delivery mode: | Situated |
| Workload items: |
|
| Attendance and learning activities: | This subject includes Compulsory Learning Activities. Students must attend and participate in all Compulsory Learning Activities. If a student has a legitimate reason for non-attendance, they must notify the subject convenor as early as possible and provide documentation (i.e. absence form, medical certificate, statutory declaration). Acceptable grounds for requesting the approval of absences include, but are not limited to, if the Student has: an illness, an accident, a family bereavement/funeral attendance, special religious occasions, and representative sporting events at a state, national or international level. Late arrival or early departure from any teaching session without the demonstration of acceptable grounds and supporting documentation will be deemed to be an unplanned absence. STUDENT LEARNING RESPONSIBILITIES Students are expected to take a significant level of responsibility for their own learning. Students are required to: take the initiative to identify, apply, and integrate material from other subjects and other sources to the present subject; be responsible for being pro-active learners in the clinical setting; practice and reflect on their performance. Bond University forwards student names to AHPRA in the first semester of enrolment in the Doctor of Physiotherapy program stating they are a current physiotherapy student. This means that students are being educated within the legal framework for practice as a physiotherapy students and must display the professional behaviours and attitudes required of all health professionals. It is essential that students conduct themselves in accordance with the Doctor of Physiotherapy Program Charter that was signed at the start of the Program. Professional behaviour and appropriate professional attitudes must be evident in all clinical and non-clinical learning activities and can be grounds for disciplinary action, including failure in this subject if students’ behaviours do not align with the expectations of the physiotherapy profession. Should concerns be raised about students' conduct, educators will consult with the subject convener and/or Head of Program. The Head of Program may: implement a mentoring program; give an informal warning; refer to the Associate Dean of Student Affairs and Service Quality (ADSASQ) for review and attention. The outcomes of these steps may result in an informal warning and monitoring of progress, a formal warning, grade penalties (marks which could impact on grades), or referral to the Dean or Faculty for disciplinary procedures. |
| Prescribed resources: | No Prescribed resources. After enrolment, students can check the Books and Tools area in iLearn for the full Resource List. |
|---|---|
| iLearn@Bond & Email: | iLearn@Bond is the Learning Management System at Bond University and is used to provide access to subject materials, class recordings and detailed subject information regarding the subject curriculum, assessment, and timing. Both iLearn and the Student Email facility are used to provide important subject notifications. Additionally, official correspondence from the University will be forwarded to students’ Bond email account and must be monitored by the student. To access these services, log on to the Student Portal from the Bond University website as www.bond.edu.au |
| Class recordings: | The majority of this subject's classes will not be recorded due to one of the reasons outlined in the Recording policy. Students are encouraged to attend all sessions as these recordings will not be available for revision purposes. For further information please contact the subject coordinator. |
Enrolment requirements
Assurance of learning
Assurance of Learning means that universities take responsibility for creating, monitoring and updating curriculum, teaching and assessment so that students graduate with the knowledge, skills and attributes they need for employability and/or further study.
At Bond University, we carefully develop subject and program outcomes to ensure that student learning in each subject contributes to the whole student experience. Students are encouraged to carefully read and consider subject and program outcomes as combined elements.
Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs)
Program Learning Outcomes provide a broad and measurable set of standards that incorporate a range of knowledge and skills that will be achieved on completion of the program. If you are undertaking this subject as part of a degree program, you should refer to the relevant degree program outcomes and graduate attributes as they relate to this subject.
Subject Learning Outcomes (SLOs)
On successful completion of this subject the learner will be able to:
- Self-reflect on own behaviours and assess own practice against entry-level, new graduate performance standards.
- Identify areas and situations outside own skills and expertise in order to identify appropriate learning goals and strategies for use in a clinical environment.
- Evaluate own practice using self-reflection as a mechanism to improve performance and operate within individual and professional strengths and limitations.
- Recognise the need for and implement appropriate strategies to manage one's own physical and mental health resilience.
- Demonstrate acceptable professional and ethical behaviours in online activities in preparation for learning with authentic clients in clinical practice.
- Communicate effectively in a culturally appropriate manner and operate as an effective team member.
- Provide sensitive and constructive feedback to peers, clinical supervisors and academics.
- Effectively manage actual and potential conflict in a proactive and constructive manner.
- Critically reflect on the impact of different cultural, political, economic, health practitioner roles, and physical environments on physiotherapy issues and priorities in different countries.
Generative Artificial Intelligence in Assessment
The University acknowledges that Generative Artificial Intelligence (Gen-AI) tools are an important facet of contemporary life. Their use in assessment is considered in line with students’ development of the skills and knowledge which demonstrate learning outcomes and underpin study and career success. Instructions on the use of Gen-AI are given for each assessment task; it is your responsibility to adhere to these instructions.
-
Assessment details
Type Task % Timing* Outcomes assessed AI category Portfolio^ Portfolio 1: Students will compile evidence of their development as reflective health practitioners. Students must provide evidence of completion of set learning tasks/activities 40.00% Week 12 1, 2, 3, 5, 8 Portfolio^ Portfolio 2: Students will compile evidence of their development during the international (or equivalent domestic) excursion. Students must provide evidence of completion of set learning tasks/activities). 60.00% Ongoing 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 - ^ Students must pass this assessment to pass the subject
- * Assessment timing is indicative of the week that the assessment is due or begins (where conducted over multiple weeks), and is based on the standard University academic calendar
- C = Students must reach a level of competency to successfully complete this assessment.
AI Categories
Ai Prohibited: Learning to develop AI-free knowledge and skills.
Ai Supported: Learning with the help of AI as directed.
Ai Focussed: Learning AI expertise and mastery as directed.
Refer to the assessment task sheet for specific AI instructions and review the Bond University Gen-AI Guide.
-
Assessment criteria
Assessment criteria
High Distinction 85-100 Outstanding or exemplary performance in the following areas: interpretative ability; intellectual initiative in response to questions; mastery of the skills required by the subject, general levels of knowledge and analytic ability or clear thinking. Distinction 75-84 Usually awarded to students whose performance goes well beyond the minimum requirements set for tasks required in assessment, and who perform well in most of the above areas. Credit 65-74 Usually awarded to students whose performance is considered to go beyond the minimum requirements for work set for assessment. Assessable work is typically characterised by a strong performance in some of the capacities listed above. Pass 50-64 Usually awarded to students whose performance meets the requirements set for work provided for assessment. Fail 0-49 Usually awarded to students whose performance is not considered to meet the minimum requirements set for particular tasks. The fail grade may be a result of insufficient preparation, of inattention to assignment guidelines or lack of academic ability. A frequent cause of failure is lack of attention to subject or assignment guidelines. Quality assurance
For the purposes of quality assurance, Bond University conducts an evaluation process to measure and document student assessment as evidence of the extent to which program and subject learning outcomes are achieved. Some examples of student work will be retained for potential research and quality auditing purposes only. Any student work used will be treated confidentially and no student grades will be affected.
| Type | Task | % | Timing* | Outcomes assessed | AI category |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portfolio^ | Portfolio 1: Students will compile evidence of their development as reflective health practitioners. Students must provide evidence of completion of set learning tasks/activities | 40.00% | Week 12 | 1, 2, 3, 5, 8 | |
| Portfolio^ | Portfolio 2: Students will compile evidence of their development during the international (or equivalent domestic) excursion. Students must provide evidence of completion of set learning tasks/activities). | 60.00% | Ongoing | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 |
- ^ Students must pass this assessment to pass the subject
- * Assessment timing is indicative of the week that the assessment is due or begins (where conducted over multiple weeks), and is based on the standard University academic calendar
- C = Students must reach a level of competency to successfully complete this assessment.
AI Categories
Ai Prohibited: Learning to develop AI-free knowledge and skills.
Ai Supported: Learning with the help of AI as directed.
Ai Focussed: Learning AI expertise and mastery as directed.
Refer to the assessment task sheet for specific AI instructions and review the Bond University Gen-AI Guide.
Assessment criteria
| High Distinction | 85-100 | Outstanding or exemplary performance in the following areas: interpretative ability; intellectual initiative in response to questions; mastery of the skills required by the subject, general levels of knowledge and analytic ability or clear thinking. |
|---|---|---|
| Distinction | 75-84 | Usually awarded to students whose performance goes well beyond the minimum requirements set for tasks required in assessment, and who perform well in most of the above areas. |
| Credit | 65-74 | Usually awarded to students whose performance is considered to go beyond the minimum requirements for work set for assessment. Assessable work is typically characterised by a strong performance in some of the capacities listed above. |
| Pass | 50-64 | Usually awarded to students whose performance meets the requirements set for work provided for assessment. |
| Fail | 0-49 | Usually awarded to students whose performance is not considered to meet the minimum requirements set for particular tasks. The fail grade may be a result of insufficient preparation, of inattention to assignment guidelines or lack of academic ability. A frequent cause of failure is lack of attention to subject or assignment guidelines. |
Quality assurance
For the purposes of quality assurance, Bond University conducts an evaluation process to measure and document student assessment as evidence of the extent to which program and subject learning outcomes are achieved. Some examples of student work will be retained for potential research and quality auditing purposes only. Any student work used will be treated confidentially and no student grades will be affected.
Study Information
Submission procedures
Students must check the iLearn@Bond subject site for detailed assessment information and submission procedures.
Policy on late submission and extensions
A late penalty will be applied to all overdue assessment tasks unless an extension is granted by the subject coordinator. The standard penalty will be 10% of marks awarded to that assessment per day late with no assessment to be accepted seven days after the due date. Where a student is granted an extension, the penalty of 10% per day late starts from the new due date.
Academic Integrity
Bond University‘s Student Code of Conduct Policy , Student Charter, Academic Integrity Policy and our Graduate Attributes guide expectations regarding student behaviour, their rights and responsibilities. Information on these topics can be found on our Academic Integrity webpage recognising that academic integrity involves demonstrating the principles of integrity (honesty, fairness, trust, professionalism, courage, responsibility, and respect) in words and actions across all aspects of academic endeavour.
Staff are required to report suspected misconduct. This includes all types of plagiarism, cheating, collusion, fabrication or falsification of data/content or other misconduct relating to assessment such as the falsification of medical certificates for assessment extensions. The longer term personal, social and financial consequences of misconduct can be severe, so please ask for help if you are unsure.
If your work is subject to an inquiry, you will be given an opportunity to respond and appropriate support will be provided. Academic work under inquiry will not be marked until the process has concluded. Penalties for misconduct include a warning, reduced grade, a requirement to repeat the assessment, suspension or expulsion from the University.
Feedback on assessment
Feedback on assessment will be provided to students according to the requirements of the Assessment Procedure Schedule A - Assessment Communication Procedure.
Whilst in most cases feedback should be provided within two weeks of the assessment submission due date, the Procedure should be checked if the assessment is linked to others or if the subject is a non-standard (e.g., intensive) subject.
Accessibility and Inclusion Support
Support is available to students where a physical, mental or neurological condition exists that would impact the student’s capacity to complete studies, exams or assessment tasks. For effective support, special requirement needs should be arranged with the University in advance of or at the start of each semester, or, for acute conditions, as soon as practicable after the condition arises. Reasonable adjustments are not guaranteed where applications are submitted late in the semester (for example, when lodged just prior to critical assessment and examination dates).
As outlined in the Accessibility and Inclusion Policy, to qualify for support, students must meet certain criteria. Students are also required to meet with the Accessibility and Inclusion Advisor who will ensure that reasonable adjustments are afforded to qualifying students.
For more information and to apply online, visit BondAbility.
Additional subject information
Note: Mandatory student contribution for the international excursion (1-2 week experience in another country or an alternative equivalent domestic experience) is $1000. Please contact faculty for further information prior to enrolment. This subject contains content that some students may find distressing, disturbing or culturally challenging. Students with concerns about the content of any subject are encouraged to discuss this with the subject convenor and consider how best to prepare themselves to study challenging material in a way that is appropriate for them.
Subject curriculum
-
Student directed topics
In preparation for the transition from student to professional, students will identify their own individual and group learning needs and undertake activities to meet these. These topics will consider all areas relevant to local and international practice, based on reflection and feedback from previous subjects and placements completed across the 6 semesters of the program. Example topics include credentialing and recognition of physiotherapists in other countries, cultural awareness and competence for effective physiotherapy practice, inter-professional collaboration, and the role of teamwork in safe practice.
-
In-depth cultural excursion – international experience (or domestic equivalent)
Students will explore the impact of cultural, political, economic, and physical environments on healthcare and physiotherapy practice. They will have an opportunity to consider and adapt their practice in another country, based on their awareness of the specific socio-cultural, economic, and organisational context of healthcare.