Queenstown physiotherapy school stalls

18/1/2010

Plans by former Dunedin physiotherapist Professor Stanley Paris (1952-55) to open a physiotherapy school in Queenstown which could initially cater for 25 students have been placed on hold.

Professor Stanley Paris

Stanley, who founded a university in Florida, the University of St Augustine, is keen to open a school, but said it seemed it would not qualify for Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) support at this stage.

If the school went ahead, it was hoped it would attract students internationally including those from the United States, Australia and Asia and that its situation in Queenstown would be appealing. An exchange programme would be offered between the school and the four programmes run by St Augustine at its three United States campuses.

Stanley said a school would offer either masters or doctorate level study, but the exact form would be decided after discussion with the two other physiotherapy schools in New Zealand. The university, which specialises in occupational therapy and physiotherapy, was adopting a ‘‘wait and see’’ approach with the TEC and was not ‘‘pushing the request’’ at this stage, he said.

Stanley, who has an international reputation in orthopaedic physiotherapy, has been in the news in recent years with his attempts to become the oldest person to swim the English Channel. He was 70 when he first attempted that record in 2008, but had to withdraw with cramps and nausea when he was halfway across. Last year he made another solo attempt, but had to give up after five hours.
He has since been diagnosed with spinal stenosis but planned to have another attempt at the channel in three years when he will be 75.