Rehabilitation University (in preparation) Officially Launched in Qingdao, Shandong

In his report to the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, General Secretary Xi Jinping called for “advancing the cause of persons with disabilities and strengthening rehabilitation services.” China is home to 85 million persons with disabilities. Rehabilitation serves as a means of rebuilding their lives, constitutes a top priority in China’s disability affairs, and addresses the urgent needs of persons with disabilities and millions of families. In addition, there are 44 million elderly individuals in China who are disabled or partially disabled and also require high-quality rehabilitation services. The University of Rehabilitation will train more specialized professionals in rehabilitation, helping persons with disabilities and older adults lead happier and more dignified lives.

In 2015, the China Disabled Persons’ Federation (CDPF) proposed the establishment of a University of Rehabilitation. This initiative received high-level attention from leaders of the State Council and strong support from relevant departments. The development of the University of Rehabilitation was incorporated into four national-level development plans, including the Outline of the 13th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development and the 13th Five-Year Plan for the Development of National Education. The CDPF has vigorously promoted the construction of the University of Rehabilitation, collaborating with relevant State Council departments and the Shandong Provincial Party Committee and Provincial People’s Government to conduct research and planning. Additionally, it organized extensive and in-depth investigations by relevant experts, laying a solid foundation for the establishment of the University of Rehabilitation.

Recently, the Ministry of Education officially approved the preparatory establishment of the University of Rehabilitation. The university is sponsored by Shandong Province and located in Qingdao City. It is being jointly developed by the China Disabled Persons’ Federation, the National Health Commission, and other relevant departments. The Shandong Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China and the Shandong Provincial People’s Government have attached great importance to the construction of the University of Rehabilitation, incorporating it into Shandong’s Major Project for the Conversion of Old and New Growth Drivers. Qingdao boasts a beautiful natural environment, strong economic strength, abundant medical and elderly care resources, and high-quality higher education resources, providing a solid foundation for establishing the University of Rehabilitation at a high starting point.

The establishment of the University of Rehabilitation is an innovative initiative in the new era, shouldering the honorable mission of serving the “Healthy China” strategy. Adhering to high-starting-point, high-level, and international standards, and upholding contemporary advanced rehabilitation concepts, the University will integrate medicine, life sciences, humanities, and other disciplines to build a novel university that is research-based and led by rehabilitation applications.

Zhang Haidi, Chairperson of the China Disabled Persons’ Federation (CDPF), stated that rehabilitation is the most urgent need of persons with disabilities; only with physical recovery can there be hope for a better life. Rooted in the fertile ground of China’s disability welfare sector and carrying the aspirations of persons with disabilities and their families, Rehabilitation University is expected to cultivate more outstanding professionals so that persons with disabilities can receive higher-quality rehabilitation services. The CDPF will continue to collaborate with the Ministry of Education, the National Health Commission, and the Shandong Provincial and Qingdao Municipal Governments to build Rehabilitation University into a world-class institution, making due contributions to the “Healthy China” initiative.

Source: Shandong Education Release