WHO Collaborating Centres

Introduction

The World Health Organization’s (WHO) strategic priorities and technical workplans guide WHO activities and programs across the world. However, the WHO often relies on the expertise, advice and cooperation of WHO Collaborating Centres (WHOCC) to deliver on the priorities and execute its workplans. Currently there are around 800 WHOCCs in more than 80 member countries. They support the WHO’s implementation agenda across a wide range of activities in partnership with the WHO.

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.

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 Diseases Research Institute	NSW	Associate Professor Sonja Klebe
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 Environmental 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