The Chiropractic Diplomatic Corps continues to receive invitations by Chiropractic National Associations and Pioneer Chiropractors to facilitate the development a chiropractic school in their country. In India we were invited as part of a "WHO Healthy City Initiative" by leaders in Bangalore, India to reach out to the urban poor with a variety of prevention orientated programs, a commitment that necessitated the establishment of a local chiropractic college. In Russia, a group of American chiropractors are supporting the sole DC in practice and their efforts have resulted in an opportunity to place DCs in a hospital and to establish a chiropractic college in St. Petersburg. In Indonesia, efforts at acquiring legitimacy with the government has also provided an opportunity to start a chiropractic school in Jakarta. In the Philippines, years of discussions with local universities may finally be coming to a headway.

The Chiropractic Diplomatic Corps has been studying this aspect of professional development for years. Here is an article written a few years ago that looks at chiropractic education Internationally: "Globalizing Chiropractic Schools " (.pdf)

PIONEER CHIROPRACTORS: COMPLETE THIS SURVEY The Chiropractic Diplomatic Corps is seeking major funding to assist in the development of new DC school start-ups. As a representative of the chiropractic profession in your country or one of the few practicing DCs there, we are requesting your participation by providing current information on the efforts that have been made toward chiropractic education in your country.

Bangalore, India

Through an invitation to participate in the "WHO Healthy City Initiative", Bangalore, India project we have been asked to reach out to the urban poor with a variety of prevention orientated programs. This has led to discussions between accredited chiropractic institutions and the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences and formal steps have been taken to establish a training program in Bangalore.

St. Petersburg, Russia

Decades have gone by where various chiropractors have tried to establish the chiropractic profession in Russia in the manner we have seen its development in so many other places... by grassroots work. The current supportive group of DCs may have attracted just the right principals within Russia to finally create the kind of momentum that will crystallize the start of chiropractic there.

Jakarta, Indonesia

Located just north of Australia, Indonesia has been visited by chiropractors from that region but only in the last five years have some seriously capable individuals come to Jakarta and firmly planted the profession's grass roots. Less than 10 DCs but the government contacts are already asking that a chiropractic college be started in Indonesia. With the right help this will happen sooner than we think.

Manila, Philippines

The Chiropractic Diplomatic Corps' first official activity in 1998 brought us to Manila to listen to the DeLaSalle University's pledge to start teaching chiropractic... but it never happened. Almost a decade later the Philippines continues to struggle with starting a chiropractic school. Pioneer DCs in the Philippines have urged the Diplomatic Corps to help break the impasse. A master plan approach has been recommended by the CDC - namely to build resources and opportunities.

FACULTY POOL:

There are a growing number of serious discussions underway in dozens of countries as to when they will have their own chiropractic college. Where do we expect to find enough qualified faculty to adequately meet this manpower need? Chiropractic Diplomatic Corps has poled many existing DC School Presidents only to find that there is a crisis in finding capable teachers for the existing colleges teaching chiropractic today, never mind the growing need in other countries.

DISTANCE LEARNING:

Any long-term plans for providing development support for the dozens of new chiropractic colleges sprouting up in the 21st Century must anticipate the role technology will play in standardizing courses and in bridging geographical barriers to access the best teachers in the chiropractic world. A distance learning headquarters is a part of the Chiropractic Diplomatic Corps' overall development strategy.