Astrid Kinébanian, director of the European Master of Science in Occupational Therapy programme at the Hogeschool van Amsterdam (HvA), has been awarded the decoration of Officer of the Royal Order of Oranje-Nassau. On Monday afternoon, 25 September 2006, she received the royal decoration from Dr. Karel van den Toorn, president of the University of Amsterdam (UvA) and HvA. The ceremony was held during the Symposium in honour of her departure from the Occupational Therapy profession and course of study.

She was awarded the decoration for her efforts in developing Occupational therapy as a profession in the Netherlands and Europe since 1970. Throughout that period, Astrid Kinébanian was the face of Dutch OT. In addition to her work to develop the profession, both in practice as well as the professional association and the course, she has supported endeavours to improve the position of healthcare patients. Her merits also include her success, as the chairwoman of the professional association, in gaining legal recognition for the profession of occupational Therapy.

Astrid Kinébanian

She also backed the set-up of the bachelor-level course followed by the European Master of Science in Occupational Therapy. She contributed to research into the effectiveness of occupational Therapy interventions and was responsible for the final editing of Occupational Therapy standards in the Netherlands. Over the past 35 years she has been at the cradle of many developments in the OT course programme. She is a master in motivating and stimulating others; she's a source of inspiration for colleagues and students as well as a highly-revered teacher.

Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapists support people for whom everyday occupations became a challenge. The client determines which occupations are important for him to perform. The occupational therapist analyses his occupational patrons and environment. Together with the client an action plan will be developed stating how the person can learn to perform again his daily occupations or how he can perform it in a different way. Occupational therapists give advices how to adapt occupations and the environment in order to enable people to participate in society in spite of their limitations.