NEW ZEALAND STROKE EDUCATION TRUST
ABOUT THE FOUNDER
Professor Valery L. Feigin
MD, PhD, FRSNZ, FAAN | Founder, NZSET
Professor Valery Feigin is an internationally recognised neurologist, epidemiologist, and leading authority on stroke prevention, rehabilitation, and brain health. He is Professor of Neurology and Epidemiology and Director of the National Institute for Stroke and Applied Neurosciences at Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand.
He is also an Affiliate Professor at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), University of Washington, USA, a Visiting Professor at Capital Medical University, China, and a Fellow of the Royal Society Te Apārangi (FRSNZ), New Zealand's national academy of sciences, humanities and technology.
Founder of the New Zealand Stroke Education Trust, he has dedicated his career to reducing the global burden of stroke and improving access to evidence-based stroke prevention and rehabilitation resources worldwide.
He is also an Affiliate Professor at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), University of Washington, USA, a Visiting Professor at Capital Medical University, China, and a Fellow of the Royal Society Te Apārangi (FRSNZ), New Zealand's national academy of sciences, humanities and technology.
Founder of the New Zealand Stroke Education Trust, he has dedicated his career to reducing the global burden of stroke and improving access to evidence-based stroke prevention and rehabilitation resources worldwide.
SCIENTIFIC CONTRIBUTIONS AND GLOBAL IMPACT
Professor Feigin has authored more than 1,000 scientific publications and is recognised as one of the world's most highly cited researchers. His pioneering research has substantially advanced understanding of the global burden of stroke and other neurological disorders, their risk factors, prevention, and long-term consequences.
He has held numerous international scientific leadership positions, including major roles in the Global Burden of Disease Study and World Health Organization stroke initiatives. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand and the American Academy of Neurology, and Editor-in-Chief of Neuroepidemiology.
He also pioneered the development of the internationally recognised Stroke Riskometer™, a free mobile application designed to help individuals understand and reduce their risk of stroke.
He has held numerous international scientific leadership positions, including major roles in the Global Burden of Disease Study and World Health Organization stroke initiatives. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand and the American Academy of Neurology, and Editor-in-Chief of Neuroepidemiology.
He also pioneered the development of the internationally recognised Stroke Riskometer™, a free mobile application designed to help individuals understand and reduce their risk of stroke.
COMMITMENT TO STROKE REHABILITATION
Recognising the enormous unmet need for accessible stroke rehabilitation, Professor Feigin founded the New Zealand Stroke Education Trust (NZSET), a charitable organisation dedicated to providing free, evidence-based educational resources to stroke survivors, their families, caregivers, and healthcare professionals.
Under his leadership, NZSET has developed and disseminated a comprehensive collection of 65 stroke rehabilitation and care videos, covering practical techniques to support recovery, independence, and quality of life after stroke.
These resources are available in over 20 languages, helping overcome geographical, linguistic, and financial barriers to accessing reliable stroke rehabilitation information worldwide.
Under his leadership, NZSET has developed and disseminated a comprehensive collection of 65 stroke rehabilitation and care videos, covering practical techniques to support recovery, independence, and quality of life after stroke.
These resources are available in over 20 languages, helping overcome geographical, linguistic, and financial barriers to accessing reliable stroke rehabilitation information worldwide.
INTERNATIONAL AWARDS AND RECOGNITION
Professor Feigin has authored more than 1,000 scientific publications, which have collectively received over 450,000 citations, with a Google Scholar h-index of 161 (and continuing to increase). Recognised as one of the world's most highly cited researchers, his pioneering work has substantially advanced understanding of the global burden of stroke and other neurological disorders, their risk factors, prevention, and long-term consequences.
Professor Feigin's outstanding contributions to stroke research, prevention, rehabilitation, and global health have been recognised through numerous prestigious national and international awards.
Major Awards and Honours
Professor Feigin's outstanding contributions to stroke research, prevention, rehabilitation, and global health have been recognised through numerous prestigious national and international awards.
Major Awards and Honours
- 2026 – King Salman International Award for Disability Research (Health and Medical Sciences), Saudi Arabia. Recognising outstanding contributions to disability research. Professor Feigin was also honoured to deliver the keynote presentation at the opening plenary session of the 7th International Conference on Disability and Rehabilitation in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in October 2026.
- 2022 – Prime Minister's Science Prize, New Zealand (team award).
- 2022 – Health Research Council of New Zealand Liley Medal.
- 2022 – World Health Organization Western Pacific Region Innovation Challenge Award.
- 2018 – Stroke Society of Australasia Award.
- 2015 – MacDiarmid Medal, Royal Society of New Zealand.
- 2015 – World Stroke Organization President's Award.
Professor Valery Feigin receiving the 2026 King Salman International Award for Disability Research (Health and Medical Sciences category), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 11 October 2026.