Who we are

The WHO Collaborating Centre for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Development forms part of an international collaborative network that supports and undertakes projects in support of the World Health Organization's program at national, regional, and international levels.

Our centre emerged in 2004 when chief nurses from the Asia-Pacific region gathered to discuss how UTS could support nurses during the SARS Outbreak by becoming a collaborating centre. Our centre was successfully awarded WHO CC Status in 2008, and redesignated in 2012, 2016, 2020 and 2024. We have been working in the Pacific for over 20 years, collaborating with over 22 countries in this time. Our centre is one of the few that exist in the region.

Today, we are the only nursing and midwifery WHO Collaborating Centre in Australia recognised by WHO as Secretariat for Global Network of 44 Collaborating Centres in Nursing and Midwifery for 2022-2026.

Our centre works within the Western Pacific region, encompassing 37 countries, 22 of which are Pacific Island, spans 8 time zones, and comprises over 22,000 individual islands with incredibly diverse cultural, political and social structures.

Despite the uniqueness of each community, the nursing and midwifery sector highlights some common themes.  

1. The needs of the populations are diverse from a local, national, and regional perspective; and
2. Many Pacific nations face the same challenges – a lack of funding; skills and training despite nurses making up 74% of regulated health workforce of which 95% are women and 51% are under the age of 35.
3. Regional evidence clearly showcases that nurses are the front-line responders for impacts of climate change, health, and disaster, despite not being well supported at multiple levels.
4. In order to support nurses and build capability across the region, a mix of research, training, education, monitoring and evaluation and policy development that must be built from the bottom up and the top down collaboratively and in locally relevant frameworks.

Our centre is closely aligned with the needs of the region. Our focus is directly informed by the collaborations and partnerships we have developed within the region and Pacific Nations. These long-standing relationships have built a strong sense of trust within our work, allowing our impact to span regional policy; government; regulatory councils; health services; not-for-profits and community.