Under the title “Fostering African Research Networks in Digital Pre- and Rehabilitation,” Hülsmann focused on the field of digital medical rehabilitation, which deals with how digital innovations and technologies can support the care process in medical rehabilitation.
Promoting networking and deepening knowledge: RADIC final conference and GDRP forum
Among other things, he took part in the final conference of the international RADIC project (“Rehabilitation for All through Digital Innovation and New Competencies”), which aimed to develop specific skills in higher education to support the digital transformation in medical rehabilitation in East Africa. A key output was a handbook that provides basic knowledge and practical insights into the field.
At the Global Digital Rehabilitation Policy Forum (GDRPF) 2025 at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), Hülsmann contributed to discussions, networked with international partners, and deepened his understanding of the increasingly relevant role of artificial intelligence in medical rehabilitation. The need for implementation studies that examine how digital rehabilitation technologies are introduced and used in practice in (East) Africa became particularly clear. In addition, the HNU scientist networked with physiotherapy students from the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences at JKUAT and gained valuable practical insights for future research through the presentation of several innovation pitches.
Possible research collaborations: Exchange with GDRI
Possible future collaborations were discussed in an exchange with members of the Global Digital Rehabilitation Initiative (GDRI). This resulted, among other things, in a collaboration to produce a review paper on digital rehabilitation technologies in sub-Saharan Africa.
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Henrik Hülsmann
