How can artificial intelligence be integrated into physiotherapy education? At the Department of Physiotherapy, it all began quite unexpectedly. In May 2024, two lecturers from the department—Mgr. Ondřej Laštovička, Ph.D., and Mgr. Martin Dvořáček—were able to join the international programme “Artificial Intelligence in Education and Research” when a place suddenly became available at the last minute. Their experience during the week-long programme demonstrated that artificial intelligence is not merely a technological trend, but a powerful tool that can fundamentally reshape the way students prepare for their future profession.
The first step was the immediate introduction of a new course, “Fundamentals of Working with Artificial Intelligence,” which has now been offered for the second year to first-year physiotherapy students. The course introduces students to a range of available AI tools and explains the principles of working with them, while also addressing the risks and ethical considerations associated with their use.
The next milestone came last year, when our students participated in a similar programme specifically designed for physiotherapy students. On that occasion, both lecturers were already involved as instructors. A natural outcome of the ongoing collaboration with international partners was the organisation of our own events at the Faculty of Physical Culture—initially for academic staff and, from 16 to 20 February 2026, also for students in the form of an Erasmus+ Blended Intensive Programme (BIP).
During this week, 22 students from seven European Union countries came to Olomouc to explore the potential of artificial intelligence under the guidance of both local and international lecturers. The programme focused on the use of AI as a “personal coach,” “learning buddy,” “creative partner,” “research assistant,” and “clinical companion.” The intensive week of lectures, workshops, discussions, and group projects clearly demonstrated that international cooperation brings not only new professional perspectives, but also strong added value at the European level.
At the same time, the internationalisation of the department continues to expand beyond the field of artificial intelligence. At the end of last year, both colleagues visited Madrid, where they further strengthened existing cooperation with Comillas Pontifical University and CEU San Pablo University, particularly in the area of Blended Intensive Programmes (BIPs). During the visit, additional thematic areas for future collaboration were presented to the partners, resulting in two new programmes that are currently in preparation. The first will focus on digital fabrication, while the second will address sports injury management. We believe that the contacts and experience gained through these initiatives will further support the development of physiotherapy at FTK.
This article was created with the assistance of artificial intelligence tools.
