NeuroDiv-Digi project
Capacity building in mental health and wellbeing and interventions
The aim of the NeuroDiv-Digi project is to foster the inclusion of Neurodivergent persons in digital transformation through capacity development of staff at four HEIs in India and Kenya. University of Jyväskylä, and University of Valencia are the program country partners. Partner country organizations are Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, University of Kashmir, Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology and Moi University. There are 17 Associated partner organizations.
The key objectives are;
1. To raise the capacity of 60 HEI staff from IITB, KU, MMUST and MU and 139 AP staff via staff training on three key areas of promoting inclusion of Neurodivergent persons i.e. Digital well-being and inclusion; Transversal digital competencies for Neurodiversity, and Sustainable digital transformation for Neurodiversity via staff training.
2. To support and increase the knowledge and uptake of skills of 400 partner countries HEI students on the three key areas (as in the first objective via 3 accredited short online courses and 1 month supervised internship program.
3. To support the participating HEIs to incorporate Neurodiversity in their organizational digital transformation, via the co- created sustainable digital transformation strategy.
4. To foster internationalization and equity as citizens of the digital global village and advancing the understanding of the applicability and transferability of the EU digital transformation strategies via the staff and student blended mobility of 12 staff and 6 students To strengthen digital inclusion of Neurodivergent persons in the short, intermediate and long term through the NeuroWiz Hub, a co-designed NeuroWiz Hub. The estimated number of Neurodivergent users at start is 150 children, and 2500 adults.
Project outputs are Certified Staff training modules, Three Accredited Short Courses, NeuroWiz Digital Ecosystem, eHandbook on Digital Transformation for Neurodiversity Inclusion.
My research focuses on wellbeing and learning using cognitive neuroscience methodologies on areas related to Maternal stress and early years, Child functioning (MRI) studies, Language and Learning. Together with Prof. Paavo Leppänen and colleagues we have designed the MASTER OF ARTS IN COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE (LEARNING DIFFICULTIES) program that will be offered at Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology. The program focuses on research and education of biological processes that underlie human cognition regarding the relation between brain structures, activity, and cognitive functions in learning difficulties.