iRv - Institute for Rehabilitation Research

web site: http://www.irv.nl

iRv is an independent foundation, established by the University of Maastricht, the Limburg Rehabilitation Centres and the Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research TNO. The centre is also supported financially by the national and provincial government. The major sources of income, however, are grants and contracts. The research and education activities are closely co-ordinated with the University of Maastricht and the Limburg Rehabilitation Centres. TNO relies on iRv expertise to operate more effectively in this area.

iRv has a staff of approximately 70 from a variety of backgrounds: medicine, social sciences, movement sciences, occupational therapy, and engineering. These are grouped in two divisions ("Interventions and Services" and "Assistive Technology and Human Factors") and the Department for Information and Documentation.

The Mission statement of iRv is participation of all in society and an intermediate goal is the accessibility of our society. The mission is made operational by projects under two core activities: "applied research" and "information and dissemination". The workprogramme includes the improvement of interventions, health and social services and assistive technology for people with long-term functional impairments and handicaps. The client perspective serves as a focal point. iRv activities take place at regional level (the Dutch province of Limburg and the European region Maas-Rhine) as well as at national and European level.