The Council is pleased to have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Australian Council of Deans of Health Sciences and Council of Deans of Nursing and Midwifery (Australia and New Zealand) to collaborate and support each other in the field of healthcare education and research.
Over the last few years, the Council has been working in a demanding and complex higher education policy and funding landscape. There are many challenges for universities in terms of financial sustainability, cost of living and the affordability of health education from a student perspective. These challenges are not unique to the UK, and there is much to learn from how other countries are addressing similar issues.
Australia and New Zealand are frequent points of comparison for the UK, particularly in areas such as research assessment, funding frameworks, and setting research priorities. Through this new partnership, we hope to open productive dialogue on how research and knowledge exchange can be fostered and sustained across our respective jurisdictions.
This MOU represents an opportunity to explore shared challenges, exchange best practices, and build stronger connections between our higher education and healthcare communities. We look forward to engaging with our colleagues across Australia and New Zealand as we work together toward innovative and sustainable approaches to healthcare education and research.
The partnership launch event was held on 12 May, where the Council was joined by colleagues from Australia and New Zealand in an interactive meeting for members.