A delegation from Australia has concluded with a shared statement and a commitment to future cooperation with the Council of Deans of Health.

The visit, supported by HEE and Universities Australia, brought members and teams together from Councils in the UK and Australia for discussions across our priority areas such as best practice in innovative placements and comparing models of regulation. 

Council Chair, Professor Brian Webster Henderson, gave a presentation on our work and Chair-elect Professor Alison Machin co-hosted a dinner with Universities Australia for Australian and British delegates. 

The following joint statement offers a summary of what was achieved and aims on building on that:

The successful visit of delegations from the Australian Council of Deans of Health Sciences and Council of Deans of Nursing and Midwifery (Australia and New Zealand) to the UK, as part of Universities Australia’s wider Health Professions Education Standing Group visit, has provided an important opportunity for face-to-face engagement with the Council of Deans of Health (UK). 

After days of useful meetings together, it is clear much more can be gained by ongoing engagement. Our countries share strong bonds, key similarities but also crucial differences. This gives us scope to further learn from each other, sharing approaches to the challenges our members face and highlighting opportunities for global healthcare education and research.

As a result of this visit, our Councils are committed to closer ongoing collaboration, including exploring steps to a more formal partnership between us in the future.