A new health institute at the University of Canberra (UC) will tackle issues such as healthy living, chronic disease prevention and patient care, bringing together a range of medical professions.
Founding director of the University of Canberra Research Institute, Professor Rachel Davey, said the level of involvement across faculties was an innovative concept.
“There are similar institutes in Australia and around the world but I think this is unique in the sense that it brings together such a broad range of expertise and disciplines,” she said.
“We not only have public health, bio-medicine, health services… we also have graphic design, urban planning, architecture, transportation and information technology.
“It brings much broader aspects and perspectives on our problems and grand challenges for the future in terms of health issues.”
ACT Health Minister Simon Corbell said the Institute will be closely tied to the University’s new public hospital, which is due to open in 2017.
“Our investment in [the hospital] will provide the on-the-ground training and skills development that many of these researchers will be using,” he said.
The institute will not operate out of any specific building, which Professor Davey said was no accident.
“We don’t want just one building with everyone inside that building, because we feel that having it across the whole campus is really important”, she said.
It will also work alongside government and non-government organisations.
“In order to increase the translation and research impact of our work, we have to work very closely with politicians, policy makers and service providers”, Professor Davey said.
The number of active research academics is expected to increase from 90 to 150 over the next two months.