Report on the 18th European Forum for Research in Rehabilitation (EFRR) International Conference 

Approximately 200 rehabilitation professionals participated on the 18th EFRR Congress from 28 to 31 August 2025, held in Budapest, mainly from European countries and also from Canada, Taiwan, Nepal and even from South Africa. Forty percent of the participants were Hungarian, including many colleagues working in rehabilitation across the border. The conference was conducted in English and featured 85 presentations, 40 posters and 11 workshops. 

In line with the current main directions of rehabilitation research, the conference focused on the application of artificial intelligence and the use of robots and other advanced, technology-based tools in rehabilitation. There were also many presentations on the rehabilitation of musculoskeletal patients and the benefits of daily exercise and physical therapy.

The opening ceremony featured a particularly interesting and inspiring performance by the Aphasia Choir (‘Hangadó’ Ensemble), which set the empathetic and motivating atmosphere for the rehabilitation conference.

The President of the EFRR Prof. Evrim Karadag Saygi (Turkiye) and Prof. Frederike van Wijck (UK) participated in the opening program, than each Council member led workshop during the conference. 

The opening ceremony was attended by Balázs Hankó, Hungary's Minister of Culture and Innovation, Professor Attila Szabó, Vice-Rector of Semmelweis University Budapest (SE), and Péter Cserháti, Clinic Director of the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at SE and President of the Hungarian Society for Rehabilitation.

In addition to the introductory plenary session, the current EFRR conference presentations were held in 12 sections. Several prominent foreign guests gave plenary presentations, including John Hunter (Scotland), founder of the organization, Mauro Zampolini from Italy, president of the Rehabilitation Section of the UEMS (Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine Section of the Union Européenne des Médecins Specialistes, U.E.M.S. PRM, European Union of Medical Specialists), as well as Gerold Stucki (Switzerland), Henk Stam (Netherlands), and Stefano Negrini from Italy, who are very active in the international organization of rehabilitation. At the conference, we had the opportunity to listen to a workshop presentation by Boba Stokic (USA), current editor-in-chief of the EFRR's official journal, the International Journal of Rehabilitation Research (IJRR), on best practices in writing and reviewing papers. Numerous presentations were given by Slovenian participants, so Professor Helena Burger and Crt Marincek, former EFRR presidents, where a highly innovative rehabilitation clinic exists.

Several of the international experts listed above have also registered with the International Advisory Board of the Hungarian journal Rehabilitation, with whom they established joint cooperation during the conference discussions under the leadership of editor-in-chief Zsuzsanna Vekerdy-Nagy.

The conference also included the EFRR's general meeting, at which an eight-member executive council was elected, with only one member per country. At the EFRR's 2025 Congress in Budapest, Professor Cecília Varjú from the University of Pécs (Hungary) was elected president. Additional council members were also elected: Prof. Frederike van Wijck (UK), Prof. Evrim Karadağ Saygi MD (Turkiye), Lea Šuc (Slovenia), Prof. Susanna Melkas MD (Finland), Ass. Prof. Marta Supervía Pola MD (Spain), Marco Streibelt MD (Germany), Ass. Prof. Peter Takáč MD (Slovakia)
At the closing ceremony, the Council thanked Prof. Helena Burger (Slovenia) and Prof. Matilde Leonardi (Italy) for their valuable contributions to the EFRR Council.

Judging by the international response to the conference, it was a success. Organised in cooperation with the Expert-Quality Congress Organising Office, it was led by Professor Dr Péter Cserháti, Clinic director and president of the Hungarian Rehabilitation Society; Professor Cecília Varjú; and Professor Gábor Fazekas, who were the conference co-chairs.

The conference programme and summaries of the presentations and posters can be found at the following link: https://www.efrr2025.com/program/. 

It is always possible and worthwhile to join the EFRR. The next EFRR webinar will take place on 28 October 2025 at 6 p.m. CET via Zoom. Boba Stokic, editor-in-chief of the IJRR journal, will deliver the webinar in English on the topic of 'Development of protocols for pilot and controlled studies'.