The World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT) and the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) are committed to a globally connected profession that responds to the needs of our diverse societies (AOTA, 2007; WFOT, 2011). International experiences for college students both in and outside of the health professions lead to increased cultural competency that helps increase the quality of care in a multicultural society and working across disciplines (Bentley & Ellison, 2007; Pallangyo et al., 2012). There is little research that addresses cross-cultural partnership planning or that defines the characteristics of an effective global partnership (Lattanzi & Pechak, 2011). Few studies explore how occupational therapy professionals worldwide develop global partnerships.

In this study, we seek to understand how occupational therapists develop, maintain, and sustain global partnerships. Further, in this research, we identify how occupational therapists (1) initiate global partnerships; (2) describe primary strategies for developing global partnerships; (3) describe processes and strategies for sustaining global partnerships; (4) describe challenges they face in establishing effective partnerships; and (5) describe outcomes, benefits, and lessons learned. Many institutions of higher education are encouraging faculty to engage in global partnerships for research, teaching, and service. Faculty members are crafting international service learning experiences for students in an effort to cultivate global citizens (Lattanzi & Pechak, 2011).

We used qualitative research methods. The participants were occupational therapists who had experience establishing global partnerships. In addition, the participants identified other potential participants using the inclusion criteria defined earlier. Data for this study were collected through an online survey and a follow-up telephone interview. Using a maximum variation sampling process, we selected a diverse and purposive sample from the initial sample pool that completed the online survey. A semistructured interview guide was used to guide the questioning in a phone interview. Constant comparative analysis within and across survey data allowed us to reduce categories and to create organizing themes.

American Occupational Therapy Association. (2007). AOTA Centennial Vision and executive summary. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 61, 613–614. http://dx.doi.org/10.5014/ajot.61.6.613

Bentley, R., & Ellison, K. J. (2007). Increasing cultural competence in nursing through international service learning experiences. Nurse Educator, 32, 207–211. http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/01.NNE.0000289385.14007.b4

Lattanzi, J. B., & Pechak, C. (2011). A conceptual framework for international service-learning course planning: Promoting a foundation for ethical practice in the physical therapy and occupational therapy professions. Journal of Allied Health, 40, 103–109.

Pallangyo, K., Debas, H. T., Lyamuya, E., Loeser, H., Mkony, C. A., O’Sullivan, P. S., . . . Macfarlane, S. B. (2012). Partnering on education for health: Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences and the University of California San Francisco. Journal of Public Health Policy, 33(Suppl. 1), S13–S22. http://dx.doi.org/10.1057/jphp.2012.40

World Federation of Occupational Therapists. (2011). Fundamental beliefs. Retrieved from http://www.wfot.org/AboutUs/FundamentalBeliefs.aspx