The Research Centre for Prevention and Rehabilitation is an interdisciplinary research environment at VIA University College. The centre aims to strengthen the connection between research, education and practice within the fields of care and rehabilitation. The research is grounded in real-world challenges and conducted in close collaboration with municipalities, regions, practitioners, and educational institutions.

The centre produces and disseminates research-based knowledge that contributes to enhancing quality in prevention, care, rehabilitation and everyday life for people requiring support, treatment and compassion. The purpose is to develop and implement knowledge that can be directly applied in health initiatives, citizen pathways and welfare solutions – while also generating new insight into professional practice, competence development and organisational structures within the field.

The research activities are organised into eight main themes, collectively covering the entire spectrum from the close encounter between citizen and professional to the interaction between technology, organisation and society:

Mental Health – focuses on mental wellbeing, prevention of distress, and support for people experiencing mental health challenges as an integrated part of rehabilitation.

Activity and Participation – explores how physical, social, and cognitive activity promotes participation and quality of life, and how citizens’ agency can be enhanced in everyday contexts.

RehabilitationTechnologies – investigates how technology and digital solutions can support rehabilitation, autonomy, and ethically sound practice.

Physical Activity and Musculoskeletal pain – studies the relationships between physical activity, functional ability, and pain management in both clinical and everyday settings.

Nutrition and Quality of Life – examines how food, meals, and nutrition can promote health and wellbeing among people living with or after cancer and adiposity.

Preventing Dementia – examines how lifestyle and health interventions can strengthen brain health and reduce the risk of cognitive decline and dementia.

Balance and Falls – focuses on developing and implementing initiatives that improve balance and prevent falls among older adults and people at increased risk of falling.

The Research Centre for Prevention and Rehabilitation is founded on the understanding that new knowledge only gains value when it is put into practice. Research is therefore carried out in close collaboration with professionals, citizens, students and decision-makers. The results are used to develop educational programmes, improve professional practices and create new, sustainable solutions within healthcare and in people’s everyday lives.

The centre has a strong tradition of applied research, combining qualitative and quantitative methods within an interdisciplinary framework. Collaboration across disciplines is a defining principle. Our ambition is to serve as a national focal point for practice-oriented research in care and rehabilitation – locally rooted and internationally engaged.

Read more about the centre’s research and activities on our website (under construction): https://en.via.dk/research/care-and-rehabilitation