Call for founding members of the European Organization For University Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine (UniPRM)

Authors

  • Stefano Negrini Department of Biomedical, Surgical, and Dental Sciences, University of Milan “La Statale”, Milan, Italy, 2IRCCS Galeazzi S. Ambrogio Hospital, Milan, Italy https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1878-2747
  • Xavier de Boissezon Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University Hospital of Toulouse, Toulouse, France; ToNIC, NeuroImaging Center, University of Toulouse, Inserm, UPS, Toulouse, France https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7161-4689
  • Gerold Stucki Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, University of Lucerne, Lucerne, Switzerland; Center for Rehabilitation in Global Health Systems, WHO Collaborating Center, University of Lucerne, Lucerne, Switzerland; Swiss Paraplegic Research, Nottwil, Switzerland https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1392-5419
  • Jari Arokoski Department of Internal Medicine and Rehabilitation Medicine, Division of Rehabilitation Helsinki University Central Hospital and University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7023-2235
  • Katja Groleger Sršen Department for rehabilitation, University Rehabilitation Institute of Republic Slovenia – Soča, Slovenia; University Ljubljana, Medical Faculty, Ljubljana, Slovenia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2733-5498
  • Sofie Rummens Department of Development and Regeneration, KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
  • Henk Stam Department of Rehabilitation Medicine Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0451-0705
  • Alessandro Picelli Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
  • Francesca Gimigliano Department of Mental and Physical Health and Preventive Medicine, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Naples, Italy https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1905-6405

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.2340/jrm.v57.44520

Keywords:

academic medical centres, clinical competence, curriculum, faculty, medical, health workforce, interdisciplinary communication, leadership, teaching

Abstract

Rehabilitation is increasingly recognized as a key component of health systems worldwide. To meet the growing demand for rehabilitation services, it is essential to strengthen academic capacity in Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine within universities. Academic structures are critical for training future physicians and professionals, and for advancing research and innovation in rehabilitation. In response to this need, a new European organization has been established: the European Organization of University Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine. This organization aims to unite and support university-based educators and researchers in the field, fostering excellence in teaching, research, clinical care, and academic leadership. The initiative has been developed through collaboration with major European and international rehabilitation bodies and is grounded in the values of representativity, inclusiveness, and collaboration. The organization invites current and future university professors in Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine to join as founding members and contribute to shaping its mission, structure, and strategic direction. By building a strong academic network across Europe, this initiative seeks to reinforce the foundations of rehabilitation in health systems and promote the development of a skilled and innovative workforce. This commentary outlines the rationale, development, and goals of the new organization and calls for broad participation from the academic community.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

World Health Organization. Resolution: Strengthening rehabilitation in health systems; 2023 [cited 2025,

Apr 19]. Available from: https://apps.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/EB152/B152(10)-en.pdf

Gimigliano F, Negrini S. The World Health Organization “Rehabilitation 2030: a call for action”. Eur J Phys Rehabil Med 2017; 53: 155–168.

https://doi.org/10.23736/S1973-9087.17.04746-3 DOI: https://doi.org/10.23736/S1973-9087.17.04746-3

Sivan M, Negrini S. An expanded workforce is needed to strengthen rehabilitation in health systems. BMJ 2024; 384: q60.

https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.q60 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.q60

Frontera WR, Stucki G, Engkasan JP, Francisco GE, Gutenbrunner C, Hasnan N, et al. Advancing academic capacity in physical and rehabilitation medicine to strengthen rehabilitation in health systems worldwide: a joint effort by the European Academy of Rehabilitation Medicine, the Association of Academic Physiatrists, and the International Society of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine. Am J Phys Med Rehabil 2022; 101: 897–904.

https://doi.org/10.1097/PHM.0000000000002067 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1097/PHM.0000000000002067

Stucki G, Stam HJ, Gimigliano F, Negrini S. Why we need a representative organization of academic PRM in Europe, and why we need it now. J Rehabil Med 2025; 57: jrm42369.

https://doi.org/10.2340/jrm.v57.42369 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2340/jrm.v57.42369

Downloads

Additional Files

Published

2025-09-04

How to Cite

Negrini, S., de Boissezon , X., Stucki, G., Arokoski , J., Groleger Sršen, K., Rummens, S., … Gimigliano, F. (2025). Call for founding members of the European Organization For University Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine (UniPRM). Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine, 57, jrm44520. https://doi.org/10.2340/jrm.v57.44520

Issue

Vol. 57 (2025)

Section

Special Report

Categories

License

Copyright (c) 2025 Stefano Negrini, Xavier de Boissezon , Gerold Stucki, Jari Arokoski , Katja Groleger Sršen, Sofie Rummens, Henk Stam , Alessandro Picelli, Francesca Gimigliano

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

All digitalized JRM contents is available freely online. The Foundation for Rehabilitation Medicine owns the copyright for all material published until volume 40 (2008), as from volume 41 (2009) authors retain copyright to their work and as from volume 49 (2017) the journal has been published Open Access, under CC-BY-NC licences (unless otherwise specified). The CC-BY-NC licenses allow third parties to copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format and to remix, transform, and build upon the material for non-commercial purposes, provided proper attribution to the original work.
From 2024, articles are published under the CC-BY licence. This license permits sharing, adapting, and using the material for any purpose, including commercial use, with the condition of providing full attribution to the original publication.

Crossref
Scopus
Google Scholar
Europe PMC