An FHS strategic update

A message from Executive Dean of Health Sciences Professor Suzanne Chambers:

The Faculty of Health Sciences has just ratified its Strategic Research Plan 2023-2027. This plan, designed around eight strategic pillars, is key to its success in contributing to a national and global body of knowledge that inspires and supports human health and harmony.

This plan provides us with a compass to navigate the next five years, guided by themes and priorities that underpin three core aspirations, which are to deliver quality education, harness our mission for impact, and strengthen our global reputation for excellence.

Developed in response to ongoing changes in the research sector, this plan seeks to favourably position our faculty for future research opportunities that leverage our considerable strengths across a range of Health Science disciplines.

The actions of the faculty in supporting efforts to achieve our outcomes in mutually reinforcing ways, are guided by eight strategic pillars:

• Creating knowledge
• Building staff capability and capacity
• Fostering a positive research culture
• Strengthen research training
• Engaging with end users
• Collaborating with researchers
• Cultivating the teaching – research nexus
• Growing and diversifying income to support research.

This plan is the product of our faculty’s collective reflections on how we can better support established and emerging researchers, best engage with present and future research opportunities, and better capitalise on our extensive stakeholder connections across the faculty, the institution, and beyond.

Through its implementation, we will make decisions and investments in concert with these goals that will ultimately serve to move the faculty forward with coordination and purpose.

This is truly a plan developed by the faculty, for the faculty.

If you have any further queries or would like to know more, please contact the Office of the Associate Dean, Research. 

Aquero Lecture Series: Addressing inequities in cancer care

The Faculty of Health Sciences’ Aquero Lecture Series honours the Catholic intellectual tradition by inspiring progressive dialogue towards principled leadership in a global health paradigm that is constantly changing.

The first Aquero Lecture for 2023 will be held in honour of our patron St Bernadette. Join us to learn about the current and future landscape for best-practice cancer care and survivorship essentials. Addressing inequities in cancer care, will feature a panel of cancer care experts including Professor Jeff Dunn AO, President, Union for International Cancer Control, discussing this important topic.

When: 12.30pm-1.30pm (AEST) Tuesday 18 April

Register for the Teams Webinar

St Bernadette’s Feast Day – 16 April 2023

Sunday 16 April marks the anniversary of the Faculty of Health Sciences patron, Saint Bernadette of Lourdes.

Saint Bernadette was only 14-years-old when she saw the first of 18 visions of the Blessed Virgin Mary at Lourdes in France, a site that is now one of the major pilgrimage destinations in the world. Saint Bernadette endured sickness for most of her life. As a child she had a weak and sickly constitution and suffered from severe asthma. As an adult she struggled with a very painful tubercular tumour in the bone of her right knee. For this and her enduring suffering she is known as the Patron Saint of the sick.

As a faculty, we draw inspiration from St Bernadette to ease the suffering of the sick, as we seek to continually promote the vocation of our work as gift to the bettering of society. What we do every day in our teaching, learning and research continues to break new ground in order to fulfil this.

I encourage you to take the time to acknowledge Saint Bernadette of Lourdes and the inspiration she has given to many who find themselves sick, and to those who seek to ease people's suffering. While steeped in Catholic tradition, this is a moment for all of us regardless of our religion, faith or none to be refreshed and re-inspired in our roles.

Creator God, bless us as we enable healing and care for many people through the quality education delivered in our faculty.
Give us wisdom to discern the fields of research which will best serve the common good,
and may the spirit of St Bernadette encourage and help us to acknowledge that everything good comes from you.

Amen

Professor Suzanne Chambers AO