DESG - Diabetes Education Study Group

SCIENTIFIC PROGRAMME

Day 1 31st October 2025
14.00-15.00 Registration
Day 1 – Knowledge & Nutrition Practice
15.00-15.30 Opening & Orientation (30 min)
o Welcome, objectives, expectations
o Icebreaker: “My experience with diabetes education”
15.30-17.00 Session 1: Diabetes Overview for Nutrition (1.5 hrs)
15.30-15.45 Basics of type 1 and type 2 diabetes Tatjana Milenkovic
15.45-16.00 Nutritionist’s role in the multidisciplinary team Eva Karaglani
16.00-17.00 Discussion: What do patients expect from nutrition counseling? 2 groups
Anna Gavrieli/ Joao Raposo Eva Karaglani/ Florian Toti

• Coffee Break (15 min)
  17.15-19.15 Session 2: Adherence & Compliance – How to Support Patients (2 hrs)
  17.15-17.35 Barriers: cultural, financial, psychological, family support Ana Lucia Covinhas
  17.35-18.25 Tools: motivational interviewing, SMART goals Ana Lucia/ Tatjana Milenkovic
  18.25-19.15 Role play: Difficult patient conversations Joao Raposo/Florian Toti
  20.30 Dinner

Day 2 1st November 2025
9.00-11.00 Session 3: Nutrition Therapy in Diabetes (2 hrs)
9.00-09.20 Individualized medical nutrition therapy Tsvetalina Tankova
9.20-10.10
10.10-11.00
Carbohydrate counting, portion control, glycemic index 2 groups
Practical activity: Meal planning with local foods Anna Gavrieli/ Florian Toti
Eva Karaglani/Zelija Velija Asimi
11.00 Coffee break 15 Minutes
11.15-12.45
Session 4: Case Study Discussions (1.5 hrs)
Small groups solve real-life adherence cases 2 groups Cornelia Bala/Florian Toti & Dario
Rahelic/Zelija Velija Asimi
12.45-13.15 Plenary presentations
13.30-15.00 Lunch
Practical Skills in Patient Education
17.30-19.00 Session 5: Coping with Illness – Mental & Emotional Health (1.5 hrs)
17.00-17.15 Diabetes distress, depression, anxiety Dario Rahelic
17.15-17.30 Supportive communication techniques Joao Raposo
17.30- 18.15 Practical activity: Relaxation, stress management, positive coping strategies
Kelvina Kapidani/ Ana Lucia Covinhas
18.15 Coffee Break (15 min)
18.30-20.00 Session 6: Patient Self-Control & Monitoring (1.5 hrs)
18.30-18.50 Self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) and continuous glucose monitoring (CGM)
basics Tsvetalina Tankova
18.50-19.20 Nutritionist’s role in interpreting patterns & advising adjustments Anna
Gavrieli/Eva Karaglani
19.20-20.00 Hands-on demo: glucometer use, sensor use, logbook review, app-based tracking
Tsvetalina Tankova/Cornelia Bala/Florian Toti/Dario Rahelic
Wrap-up Discussion – Day 2 (30 min)
20.30 Dinner
Day 3 2nd November 2025
9.00-11.00 Session 8: Diabetic Foot – Prevention & Maintenance (2 hrs)
9.00-9.20 Risk factors, complications, early detection Florian Toti
9.20-10.20 Demonstration: Foot inspection & footwear check Sokol Hasho
10.20-11.00 Group exercise: Educating patients on daily foot self-care Irfan Ahmeti
11.00 Coffee Break (15 min)
11.15-12.00 Group discussion Collaboration between members of education team
12.00-12.30 Closing Session (30 min)
Key takeaways
Action planning: “How will I apply this in my setting?”
Certificates & evaluation

SCIENTIFIC PROGRAMME

Wednesday, 30 October
Day 1
Arrival of participants
13.00-14.00 Registration and welcome reception
Plenary
14.00-14.45 Opening
Tatjana Milenkovic (North Macedonia)
Ice-break activity
Faculty (all)
Plenary
14.45-15.15 Technology in diabetes
Cornelia Bala (Romania)
Group work Group 1 Group 2
15.15-16.30 Empowerment and partnership
Joao Raposo (Portugal)
Analucia Covinhas (Portugal)
Learning objectives relevant to
pump treatment for HCPs and
patients
Cornelia Bala (Romania)
Florian Toti (Albania)
16.30-17.00 Break
17.00-18.30 Learning objectives relevant to
pump treatment for HCPs and
patients
Cornelia Bala (Romania)
Florian Toti (Albania)
Empowerment and partnership
Joao Raposo (Portugal)
Analucia Covinhas (Portugal)
18.30-19.00 Wrap-up Day 1
Faculty (all)

Thursday, 31 October
Day 2
Plenary
8.30-9.00
9.00-9.30
Opening Day 2
Background of effects of exercise on diabetic patients
Zoran Handjiski (North Macedonia)
Group work Group 1 Group 2
9.30-10.30 Strategies for different disease
acceptance phases
Dario Rahelic (Croatia)
Tatjana Milenkovic (N.Macedonia)
From assessment of patient's
needs to designing an individual
plan
Zoran Handjiski (North
Macedonia)
Zelija Velija Ashimi (Bosnia
Herzegovina)
10.30-11.30 From assessment of patient's needs
to designing an individual plan
Zoran Handjiski (North Macedonia)
Strategies for different disease
acceptance phases
Dario Rahelic (Croatia)
Tatjana Milenkovic (N.Macedonia)
Zelija Velija Ashimi (Bosnia
Herzegovina)
11.30-14.30 Outdoor activity and team-building
Plenary
14.30-15.00 Management of obesity
Tatjana Milenkovic (North Macedonia)
Group work Group 1 Group 2
15.00-16.30 Recommendation on losing weight
Practical exercises
Florian Toti (Albania)
Tatjana Milenkovic (North
Macedonia)
Unmotivated patients vs. working
with intrinsic motivation
Joao Raposo (Portugal)
Analucia Covinhas (Portugal)
16.30-17.00 Break
17.00-18.30 Unmotivated patients vs. working
with intrinsic motivation
Joao Raposo (Portugal)
Analucia Covinhas (Portugal)
Recommendation on losing weight
Practical exercises
Florian Toti (Albania)
Tatjana Milenkovic (North
Macedonia)
18.30-19.00 Wrap-up Day 2
Faculty (all)
Closing
Tatjana Milenkovic (North Macedonia)
Faculty (all)

Download the Invitation

Diabetes Education Study Group Regional Meeting ” Train-the-trainer”
25-28th of May 2023
Bucharest Ramada Plaza Hotel & Conference Centre

Day 1
Thursday, 25th May

8.00-17.30 Arrival
17.30-19.30 Welcome meal & Networking
19.30-21.30

Ice-break activity

DESG purpose & Meeting objectives
Tatjana Milenkovic, Florian Toti & Faculty members
Messages from Prof. JP Assal and Anne-Marie Felton

TPE in Romania
Cornelia Bala, Maria Moța, Gabriela Roman

Day 2
Friday, 26th May

8.30-9.30 Plenary lecture
Unmet needs in glucose control and diabetes complications
Mohamed Hassanein

Panel discussions
9.30- 12.30 Establishing a relationship with the patient
Short presentation & Workshops
João Filipe Raposo
Cornelia Bala
Tatjana Milenkovic

Coffee break at 10.30
12.30-13.30 Lunch
13.30-16.00 TPE for exercise
Short presentation & Workshops
Tatjana Milenkovic
Dario Rahelic
Zelija Velija Asimi

16.30-17.00 Coffee break
17.00-19.00 TPE and Digital Health - Importance of structured blood glucose
monitoring; era of modern glucometers
Short presentation & Workshops
Cornelia Bala
Adina Sanpetreanu
19.00-21.00 Dinner & Networking

Day 3
Saturday, 27th May

9.00-9.30 Previous-day Wrap-up and presentation of last day
9.30- 12.30 TPE-CHO counting and its importance for diabetes management
Short presentation & Workshops
Florian Toti
Tsvetalina Tankova
Silvia Rodríguez

Coffee break at 10.30

12.30-17.00 Team building & Lunch (outside)
Walk to Herăstrău Park with step counting
Lunch at 13.30 with CH counting
Physical activities in the park & networking
Walk back to conference center with step counting

17.00-17.30 Coffee break
17.30-19.30 Farewell / Next steps
Tatjana Milenkovic & Faculty members
19.00-21.00 Dinner & Networking/ departures
Day 4
Sunday, 28th May
All day
Departures