The three collaborating partners of this consortium represent three central European countries, with different cultural and socio-economic backgrounds. Going from east to west increasing migratory trends can be observed as well as more resources for medical care and education. Despite all of these differences the central European region, as well as Europe in its entirety, can be characterized by decreasing reproductive trends. We have considered how we could use our different circumstances jointly in order to improve education, patient care and general approach to reproductive medicine in the European Union.

We believe that specialized knowledge and advances in reproductive medicine and obstetrics can only help improve patient care and reverse the decreasing trends of reproduction when put into cultural and socio- economic contexts.

This approach will yield to well-prepared OB/GYN specialists as well as standardization of knowledge with prospects for mobility. Our consortium applied for this project to link this - as of yet missing concept - to the core curriculum of medical students and OB/GYN residents. We would like to supplement the curricula of OB/GYN residents with material that addresses specialized issues of reproductive medicine and obstetrics and at the same time highlights their links with current social, cultural and social issues in Europe. This is of utmost importance since the standardization of teaching and learning for OB/GYN residents has been long developed by the EBCOG-PACT document. The PACT proposed a standardized core and elective curriculum for residents to standardize OB/GYN education in Europe, increase the standard of teaching, and help mobility.

The knowledge, skills and attitudes of the teachers of the future generation of medical doctors are of great importance. We would like to address the need to prepare the teachers, who are involved in the education of medical students and resident doctors. The quality and professionalism of teaching staff have a direct effect on the learning outcomes of medical students and OB/GYN residents. Their approach to diversity and cultural differences related to reproductive issues make an enormous impact on the cultural and social sensitivity of young professionals. The decentralization of medical care is also a major issue in the countries of the European Union. Rational allocation of intellectual and financial resources is needed to improve patient care. For that reason, we hope to reach allied professional groups, such as primary care physicians, midwives and nurses or dieticians, etc. to transfer knowledge about the impact of the changing societal trends on our reproductive health and to highlight the need for joint efforts to overcome these challenges. Information on allied professionals will enable decentralization of tasks in OB/GYN and allied fields for example in the field of primary prevention in reproductive medicine (for example weight control, smoking secession, control of co- morbidities etc.).