www.motusacademy.org
Lake Lucerne Institute www.llui.org

Competence Centre for Rehabilitation Engineering and Science (RESC) www.resc.ethz.ch

Source: RehabWeek

Panel Title

Innovating Neurorehabilitation Education: Designing a Metaverse to bridge Academia, Clinical Practice and Industry.

Background

Neurorehabilitation is on the cusp of revolution with digital technologies evermore permeating every aspect of clinical practice. There is a need for practitioners in the field to continuously enhance their digital literacy and stay up to date with rapidly evolving technology in a wide range of fields. This includes enhanced clinical decision making through increasingly detailed data profiles, staying up to date with the newest scientific evidence, and continuously scoping the field for new and improved therapeutical devices and strategies. Traditional educational formats are currently not well suited to fill this gap, as they are typically monolithic and interspersed with long periods without formal education.

Panel Overview / Objectives

This panel, organised by MotusAcademy, RESC ETH Zurich, and Lake Lucerne Institute will bring together distinguished leaders in neurorehabilitation education from academia, industry and clinics to discuss how knowledge sharing (e.g. by creating a metaverse) and interdisciplinary collaboration can advance the field. The session will highlight new educational models such as micro-learning formats embedded into digital data platforms, that can e.g. introduce practitioners to novel therapeutic devices and support life-long learning. The panel will also foster insights on bridging education approaches from academia, clinics and industry and explore the field of tension and common ground between these different approaches. Furthermore, we will touch upon ownership and quality control, especially the quantification of learning success in such a highly distributed and diffuse learning system. 

Panel Speakers

  • Engineering Perspective: Rui Loureiro, Professor of Surgical and Rehabilitation Engineering, University College London, UK
  • National Rehabilitation Education Platforms: Chris Awai, Chief Scientific Officer, Lake Lucerne Institute, Switzerland; Project lead Education, Swiss NeuroRehab Consortium
  • Bridging UAS and Clinical Education: Martina Spiess, Zurich University of Applied Sciences ZHAW, Switzerland; Past-President and member of the education workgroup of the International Industry Society for Advanced Rehabilitation Technology; Project lead of “Empowering Clinicians: A MOOC Initiative in Rehabilitation Technology”
  • Bringing Novel Technologies into Practice: Megan O’Brien, Associate Director of the Technology and Innovation Hub, Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, USA
  • Developing a Clinical Educational Platform and a framework for clinical data collection to reflect functional outcomes: Helen Hobbs, Director and Specialist Neurological Consultant Therapist, Hobbs Rehabilitation / The MiNT Academy, UK

Topics of Discussion

  1. Educational Pathways in Neurorehabilitation Technology
    Overview: The panel will discuss their roles in professional education, highlighting formal academic approaches as well as continuous education approaches (e.g. webinars, courses, and resources designed to bridge knowledge gaps and foster cross disciplinary collaboration). Particular emphasis will be placed on the organisation’s future expansions to meet the increasing demand for accessible, high quality educational resources in neurorehabilitation technologies.
  2. Interdisciplinary Education for Innovation and Digital Health Integration
    Overview: The panel will explore how collaborative education across disciplines, including health care professionals, health sciences, robotics, and data analytics, enhances the practical application of neurorehabilitation technologies. Speakers will share examples of partnerships that have successfully bridged academia, clinical practice and industry driving forward advancements that benefit patients and support healthcare professionals.
  3. Holistic and Patient-Centred Neurorehabilitation Education
    Overview: A holistic approach is essential in neurorehabilitation, addressing the full spectrum of patient needs. This segment will explore how a unified, collaborative ecosystem—integrating education from academia, clinics and industry —can lead to more effective and personalised care. Emphasis will be placed on creating educational pathways that support the transition of digital healthcare tools in neurorehabilitation and how these educational pathways can keep pace with digital innovation.
  4. Emerging Learning Models and Micro-Learning for Healthcare Professionals
    Overview: Panellists will discuss evolving learning models such as micro-learning and digital platforms that provide continuous, embedded educational opportunities. The discussion will highlight how these models empower clinicians to stay updated with advancing technologies and leverage data-driven insights to enhance clinical decision making.