Who we are
The WHO Collaboration Centers are part of an international network established by the World Health Organization (WHO) to support international health projects. These centers are designated by the WHO Director-General to work in various fields, supporting WHO's global health initiatives.
Currently, there are over 800 WHO Collaboration Centers in more than 80 countries, working in diverse fields such as nursing, occupational health, infectious diseases, nutrition, mental health, chronic diseases, and health technologies, all dedicated to improving global public health.
In the field of disability and rehabilitation, there are 24 institutions across 15 countries(As of January 2025). In the Western Pacific region, there are designated centers in South Korea (1), Japan (1), China (5), Australia (1), and New Zealand (1).
The National Rehabilitation Center is one of them. In January 2017, it became the first designated collaborating centre for rehabilitation in Korea, receiving recognition for its international-level rehabilitation technologies and personnel as well as its previous achievements in collaboration with WHO.
Designation History (4 years, re-designation after evaluation)
Organizational chart
Terms of Reference(TOR) and Work Plan
TOR1
Support WHO in its efforts to effectively guide countries in adopting contemporary approaches that integrate rehabilitation, including assistive technology, and address the health equity of persons with disabilities.
- Activity 1: Bolster WHO in the development of its resources for countries, through review of draft resources, support to identify case studies, and piloting of resources that contribute to the integration of rehabilitation and disability in health systems.
TOR2
Assist WHO in providing technical support to Member States on the integration rehabilitation and disability equity concerns within healthcare.
- Activity 2: Support WHO in its efforts to facilitate Member States to adopt its rehabilitation and disability resources to deliver quality health care, with a focus on countries in the Western Pacific region.
TOR3
Upon request from WHO, strengthen the capacity and competencies of policy and programme decision makers, and health workers, in the areas of rehabilitation and disability equity within health care.
- Activity 3: Upon WHOs request, support training events, workshops, material translation, knowledge exchange and webinars that assist the adoption of WHO resources in the Western Pacific region.
History and Major Activities
- 2012
- Oct 2012 Proposal of the WHO collaborating centre
- 2013
- Mar 2013 Consultation on cooperative activities as the collaborating centre with WHO
- 2014-2015
- Activities before the designation of the WHO collaborating centre (2 years)
- Participation in the establishment of the Rehabilitation Guidelines and case study reports, etc.
- Assistive technology
- Contribution through participation in international rehabilitation programs including CBR, etc.
- Participation in Disability Data
- Activities before the designation of the WHO collaborating centre (2 years)
- 2017
- Jan 2017 Designation as WHO collaborating centre for Rehabilitation
- Jan 2017 Conducting of the International Spinal Cord Injury Survey (InSCI)
- Jul 2017 Publication of the translated version of the Wheelchair Service Training Package: Intermediate Level
- Jul 2017 Publication of the translated version of Rehabilitation in Health Systems
- 2018
- Apr 2018 Pilot study for the WHO Model Disability Survey (to November 2018)
- Sep 2018 2018 Rehabilitation forum in cooperation with WHO
- Nov 2018 Spinal cord injury rehabilitation workshop in Cambodia (Battambang, Cambodia)
- 2019
- Jan 2019 Study on cooperation on rehabilitation medicine in Korea Peninsula (to December 2019)
- Apr 2019 Study on the application of WHO’s health classification tools (WHODAS, MDS, Generic set)(to November 2019)
- Jul 2019 Dr. LEE Jong-wook Fellowship Program for Cambodia rehabilitation workforces (to November 2019)
- Sep 2019 2019 Rehabilitation forum in cooperation with WHO
- Nov 2019 Rehabilitation Workforce Capacity Building Workshop for Cambodia rehabilitation professionals(Phnom Penh, Cambodia)
- 2020
- Jan 2020 Comparative analysis and research of health and medical terminologies in the areas of disability and rehabilitation between the two Koreas (to December 2020)
- Jan 2020 Comparative analysis among countries in the western Pacific region of spinal cord injury databases (to December 2020)
- Jan 2020 Research on clinical application of ICD-11 functioning properties (to December 2020)
- 2021
- Jan 2021 Participating in the WHO Collaborating Centres Rehabilitation and Disability Virtual Meeting
- Feb 2021 Participating in the Rehabilitation during COVID-19 held by National Rehabilitation Center of Japan
- Aug 2021 Dr. LEE Jong-wook Fellowship Program for Cambodia rehabilitation workforces (to December 2021)
- Aug 2021 Participating in the GAATO (Global Alliance of Assistive Technology Organizations) Grand Challenge 2021
- Sep 2021 Development of Education Training Tools for International Cooperation (to Jan 2022)
- Sep 2021 Participating in WHO Rehabilitation 2030: Rehabilitation Financing Technical Consultation Meeting
- Oct 2021 NRC International Seminar on Functioning & Rehabilitation (Seoul, Lotte Hotel)
- 2023
- Jul 2023 Participate in 3rd WHO Global Rehabilitation meeting and World Rehabilitation Alliance (WRA) launch ceremony
- Aug 2023 Conduct the LEE Jong-wook Fellowship Program clinical course (Rehabilitation, Cambodia) (until November 2023)
- Oct 2023 Held the 2023 WHO Cooperation International Forum
- Oct 2023 Conduct Asian Spinal Cord Network (ASCoN) ToT program
- Nov 2023 Organize follow-up consultation of the LEE Jong-wook Fellowship Program clinical course (Rehabilitation, Cambodia) and workshop
- 2024
- Feb 2024 Published the Korean Translation of the Global Report on Health Equity for Persons with Disabilities
- Mar-Dec 2024 Participated in Monthly Research and Workforce Meetings of the World Rehabilitation Alliance (WRA)
- Mar-Dec 2024 Operated International Training Programs (Philippines, Thailand, Fiji, Mongolia, Malaysia)
- Jun-Nov 2024 Conduct Lee Jong-wook Fellowship Program Clinical Course (Cambodia Rehabilitation)
- May-Dec 2024 Participated in the Disability Subcommittee of the International Development Cooperation Alliance (DAK)
- Oct 2024 Held the 2024 WHO Cooperation International Forum – Integrating Rehabilitation into Primary Health Care