Under the auspices of the Australian Global Health Alliance, the Australian Network of WHO Collaborating Centres (WHOCC) was established to provide support and endorsement to the WHOCCs located within Australia. The WHOCC’s expertise, advice, and cooperation are heavily relied upon to deliver WHO priorities and work plans. There are over 50 WHOCCs in Australia alone. Read more about the Australian Network of WHOCCs here.  

The Centre for Adolescent Health is the World Health Organization’s only globally oriented Collaborating Centre in adolescent health outside Western Europe. Professor Susan Sawyer, Director of the Centre of Adolescent Health, has been the inaugural Co-Chair of the Australian Network of WHO Collaborating Centres since 2020, working with Professor Julian Gold (WHOCC for Capacity Building on HIV and STI Care, Treatment, and Support). The pair have just handed over the leadership to a new team but will continue to be engaged in the Network through membership of the executive committee.

In 2022, the executive committee of the Australian Network of WHOCCs embarked on a comprehensive capacity mapping project, analysing 53 WHOCCs to discern the extent of technical expertise present within the network. The resulting report delineates the diverse roles and showcases the wide range of multidisciplinary activities carried out by these centres. Moreover, it offers valuable insights into the impressive public health capacity actively addressing the intricate health challenges faced in Australia and globally. Read the full capacity mapping report here.