Definition
WHOCCs are institutions (or subunits thereof) that have been designated by the Director-General to support the WHO as part of a global network.
The designation is a recognition of the institution’s historical collaboration with the WHO and outlines a schedule for a future program of work.
Following at least two years of successful joint activities, the WHO may propose to formalise the relationship by designating the eligible institution as a WHOCC. It is not possible for institutions to self-nominate. This is a time-limited agreement – typically four years – during which the WHOCC will undertake specific activities that contribute to the WHO priorities and workplans at a global or regional level.
WHOCCs are often smaller subsections of a host institution, typically universities, research institutes, hospitals, academies or governments. The designation itself is tied to the specific organisational unit – department, laboratory or centre – that has been collaborating with the WHO. Designations are non-transferable and are linked to the organisational unit and not to the individual Centre Director or other staff members.
Function and Incentives
WHOCCs are designated across a wide range of public health areas, reflecting the diversity of WHO core functions. These can include data collection, disease classification, training, capacity-building, technical advice and more. As such, individual workplans of the WHOCCs are planned and implemented in collaboration with the WHO, directly aligned with WHO strategic plans and linked to the relevant technical areas.
The WHOCC mechanism is grounded in a win-win relationship. That is, the WHO can access world class institutional capacity for support of its activities and avoid duplication of effort where in-country expertise already exists. Meanwhile, WHOCC host institutions enjoy increased visibility, recognition and the associated benefits at a national and international level.
WHOCC designations are separate from financial support from the WHO. Indeed, in most cases the WHOCC is required to cover the costs through core budget for the agreed work program and, possibly, by mobilising additional resources. This does not prevent WHO from co-contributing financially for activities beyond the agreed work program, provided there is funding available.
Current list of Australian WHO Collaborating Centres
| WHO Collaborating Centre | Name of Host Institution | Location | Director(s)
|
| WHO Collaborating Centre for Drug Quality Assurance | Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) | ACT | Dr Lisa Kerr |
| WHO Collaborating Centre for the Family of International Classifications | Australian Institute of Health & Welfare (AIHW) | ACT | Mr. Michael Frost |
| WHO Collaborating Centre for the Quality Assurance of Vaccines and Other Biologicals | Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) | ACT | Dr Lisa Kerr |
| WHO Collaborating Centre for Capacity Building on HIV and STI Care, Treatment and Support | The Albion Centre | NSW | Professor Julian Gold |
| WHO Collaborating Centre for eHealth | UNSW Sydney | NSW
| Emeritus Professor Siaw-Teng Liaw and A/Prof Rohina Joshi |
| WHO Collaborating Centre for Evidence-based NCD Program Implementation | University of Newcastle, Priority Research Centre for Health Behaviour | NSW
| Professor John Wiggers |
| WHO Collaborating Centre for Injury Prevention and Trauma Care | The George Institute for Global Health | NSW
| Co-directors: Dr Margaret Peden & Dr Jagnoor Jagnoor |
| WHO Collaborating Centre for Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) | University of New South Wales | NSW
| Professor John Kaldor and A/Prof Susana Vaz Nery |
| WHO Collaborating Centre for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Development | University of Technology, Sydney (UTS) | NSW
| Ms. Michele Rumsey |
| WHO Collaborating Centre for Physical Activity, Nutrition and Obesity | University of Sydney | NSW
| Professor Adrian Bauman & Professor Stephen Colagiuri |
| WHO Collaborating Centre for Population Salt Reduction | The George Institute for Global Health | NSW
| Professor Jacqui Webster |
| WHO Collaborating Centre for Sexually Transmitted Infections and Antimicrobial Resistance | NSW HP Microbiology, The Prince of Wales Hospital | NSW
| Monica Lahra |
| WHO Collaborating Centre for Strengthening Rehabilitation Capacity in Health Systems | University of Sydney | NSW
| Professor Emerita Gwynnyth Llewellyn and Dr Kim Bulkeley (Co-Directors) |
| WHO Collaborating Centre for the Elimination of Asbestos Related Diseases | Asbestos and Dust Diseases Research Institute | NSW
| Kim Brislane |
| WHO Collaborating Centre for Tuberculosis | The University of Sydney | NSW
| Professor Ben Marais |
| WHO Collaborating Centre for Air Quality and Health | International Laboratory for Air Quality and Health | QLD
| Distinguished Professor Lidia Morawska |
| WHO Collaborating Centre for Children’s Health & Environment | The University of Queensland | QLD
| Professor Paul Jagals |
| WHO Collaborating Centre for Malaria | Australian Defence Force Malaria and Infectious Disease Institute | QLD
| Professor Dennis Shanks |
| WHO Collaborating Centre for Nursing and Midwifery Education and Research Capacity Building | James Cook University | QLD
| Professor Caryn West |
| WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Leptospirosis | Queensland Health Forensic and Scientific Services | QLD
| Ms. Megan Staples |
| WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training in Suicide Prevention | Griffith University | QLD
| Associate Professor Kairi Kolves |
| WHO Collaborating Centre for Tuberculosis Bacteriology | Pathology Queensland Central laboratory at Royal Brisbane & Women’s Hospital | QLD
| Dr Chris Coulter |
| WHO Collaborating Centre for Vector-borne and Neglected Tropical Diseases | James Cook University | QLD
| Professor Maxine Whittaker & Professor Peter Leggat (Co-directors) |
| WHO Collaborating Centre for Advancing Health in All Policies Implementation | SA Health | SA
| Professor Katina D’Onise |
| WHO Collaborating Centre for Mass Gatherings and Global Health Security | Flinders University | SA
| Professor Paul Arbon |
| WHO Collaborating Centre for Sexually Transmitted Infections Point-of-Care Testing | Flinders University | SA
| Professor Mark Shephard & Dr Susan Matthews (Co-Directors) |
| WHO Collaborating Centre for Adolescent Health | The Royal Children’s Hospital & The University of Melbourne. | VIC
| Professors Susan Sawyer & Professor George Patton (Co-directors) |
| WHO Collaborating Centre for Anaemia Detection and Control | The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research (WEHI) | VIC
| Associate Professor Sant-Rayn Pasricha |
| WHO Collaborating Centre for Antimicrobial Resistance | Doherty Institute, University of Melbourne | VIC
| Professor Ben Howden & Professor Kirsty Buising (Co-Directors) |
| WHO Collaborating Centre for Bioethics | Monash University – Centre for Human Bioethics | VIC
| Dr. Zeb Jamrozik |
| WHO Collaborating Centre for Child Health | Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI) | VIC
| Professor Julie Bines |
| WHO Collaborating Centre for Diagnostics and Laboratory Support for HIV/AIDS and other Blood-borne Infections | NRL – an operating division of St Vincent’s Institute of Medical Research | VIC
| Dr. Philippa Hetzel & Mr Wayne Dimech (Co-Directors ) |
| WHO Collaborating Centre for Health Workforce Regulation | Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency | VIC
| Mr Nick Lord |
| WHO Collaborating Centre for Law & Noncommunicable Disease | McCabe Centre for Law and Cancer based at Cancer Council Victoria | VIC
| Ms. Hayley Jones |
| WHO Collaborating Centre for Leadership in Health Promotion | Victorian Health Promotion Foundation (VicHealth) | VIC
| Dr. Sandro Demaio |
| WHO Collaborating Centre for Mycobacterium Ulcerans | Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory (VIDRL) – Mycobacterium Reference Laboratory (MRL) | VIC
| Professor Paul Johnson |
| WHO Collaborating Centre for Obesity Prevention and Related Research and Training | Institute for Health Transformation, Deakin University | VIC
| A/Prof. Gary Sacks and A/Prof. Kathryn Backholer |
| WHO Collaborating Centre for Radiation Protection | Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) | VIC
| Dr. Rick Tinker |
| WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Influenza | Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory (VIDRL) | VIC
| Professor Kanta Subbarao |
| WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Rickettsioses | University Hospital Geelong, Barwon Health | VIC
| Professor John Stenos |
| WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training in Child and Neonatal Health | Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, & The University of Melbourne | VIC
| Professor Trevor Duke |
| WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training in Mental Health | St Vincent’s Hospital | VIC
| Professor Helen Herrman & Professor Chee Ng (Co-Directors) |
| WHO Collaborating Centre for Scabies Control | Murdoch Children’s Research Institute | VIC
| Professor Andrew Steer |
| WHO Collaborating Centre for the Prevention of Blindness | Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital | VIC
| Professor Mingguang He |
| WHO Collaborating Centre for Traditional Medicine | RMIT University | VIC
| Distinguished Professor Charlie C Xue |
| WHO Collaborating Centre for UV Radiation | Cancer Council Victoria | VIC
| Craig Sinclair |
| WHO Collaborating Centre for Violence and Injury Prevention | Monash University Accident Research Centre (MUARC) | VIC
| Professor Judith Charlton |
| WHO Collaborating Centre for Viral Hepatitis | Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory (VIDRL) | VIC
| Professor Benjamin Cowie |
| WHO Collaborating Centre for Women’s Health | University of Melbourne, Centre for Health Equity | VIC
| Associate Professor Cathy Vaughan |
| WHO Collaborating Centre for Ear and Hearing Health | Ear Science Institute Australia | WA
| Sandra Bellekom |
| WHO Collaborating Centre for Climate Change and Health Impact Assessment | Curtin University | WA
| Dr. Ivan Hanigan |
| WHO Collaborating Centre for Research, Training and Consultative Work on Mental Health | University of Western Australia, Medical School, Division of Mental Health | WA
| Emeritus Professor Aleksandar Janca |
| WHO CC for Geospatial Disease Modelling in Australia | Telethon Kids Institute | WA
| Prof Peter Gething |