
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.
Lists of WHOCCs
Centre Name | City | WHOCC Title |
The Albion Centre | Sydney NSW 2000 | WHO Collaborating Centre for Capacity Building on HIV and STI Care, Treatment and Support |
Australian Army Malaria Institute | Enoggera QLD 4051 | WHO Collaborating Centre for Malaria |
Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency | Melbourne VIC 3000 | WHO Collaborating Centre for Health Workforce Regulation |
Australian Institute of Health & Welfare (AIHW) | Canberra ACT 2600 | WHO Collaborating Centre for the Family of International Classifications |
Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) | Yallambie VIC 3085 | WHO Collaborating Centre for Radiation Protection |
Cancer Council Victoria | Melbourne VIC 3000 | WHO Collaborating Centre for UV Radiation |
Cancer Council Victoria | Melbourne VIC 3000 | WHO Collaborating Centre for Law & Noncommunicable Disease |
Curtin University | Perth WA 6000 | WHO Collaborating Centre for Environmental Health Impact Assessment |
Deakin University | Geelong VIC 3220 | WHO Collaborating Centre for Obesity Prevention |
Drug and Alcohol Services South Australia (DASSA) | Stepney SA 5069 | WHO Collaborating Centre for Research in the Treatment of Drug and Alcohol Problems |
Flinders University | Adelaide SA 5000 | WHO Collaborating Centre for Mass Gatherings and Global Health Security |
Flinders University | Adelaide SA 5000 | WHO Collaborating Centre for Sexually Transmitted Infections Point-of-Care Testing |
Griffith University | Brisbane QLD 4000 | WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training in Suicide Prevention |
James Cook University Australia | Cairns QLD 4870 | WHO Collaborating Centre for Nursing and Midwifery Education and Research Capacity Building |
James Cook University | Townsville QLD 4810 | WHO Collaborating Centre for Vectorborne and Neglected Tropical Diseases |
Monash University | Clayton VIC 3168 | WHO Collaborating Centre for Violence and Injury Prevention |
Monash University | Clayton VIC 3168 | WHO Collaborating Centre for Bioethics |
Murdoch Children’s Research Institute | Parkville VIC 3052 | WHO Collaborating Centre for Child Health |
Pathology Queensland Central laboratory at Royal Brisbane Hospital | Brisbane QLD 4000 | WHO Collaborating Centre for Tuberculosis Bacteriology |
Queensland Health Forensic and Scientific Services | Coopers Plains QLD 4108 | WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Leptospirosis |
Queensland University of Technology | Brisbane QLD 4000 | WHO Collaborating Centre for Arbovirus Reference and Research |
Queensland University of Technology | Brisbane QLD 4000 | WHO Collaborating Centre on Air Quality and Health |
RMIT University | Melbourne VIC 3000 | WHO Collaborating Centre for Traditional Medicine |
Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital | East Melbourne VIC 3002 | WHO Collaborating Centre for the Prevention of Blindness |
St Vincent’s Hospital | Fitzroy VIC 3065 | WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training in Mental Health |
St Vincent’s Institute of Medical Research | Fitzroy VIC 3065 | WHO Collaborating Centre for Diagnostics and Laboratory Support for HIV/AIDS and Other Blood-borne Infections |
The George Institute for Global Health | Sydney NSW 2000 | WHO Collaborating Centre on Population Salt Reduction |
The George Institute for Global Health | Sydney NSW 2000 | WHO Collaborating Centre for Injury Prevention & Trauma Care |
The Prince of Wales Hospital | Randwick NSW 2031 | WHO Collaborating Centre for Sexually Transmitted Infections and Antimicrobial Resistance |
Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) | Woden ACT 2606 | WHO Collaborating Centre for the Quality Assurance of Vaccines and Other Biologicals |
Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) | Woden ACT 2606 | WHO Collaborating Centre for Drug Quality Assurance |
University Hospital Geelong, Barwon Health | Geelong VIC 3220 | WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Rickettsioses |
University of Melbourne (Melbourne School of Population and Global Health) | Carlton VIC 3053 | WHO Collaborating Centre for Women’s Health |
University of Melbourne (Melbourne School of Population and Global Health) | Carlton VIC 3053 | WHO Collaborating Centre on Implementation Research for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases |
University of Melbourne Department of Paediatrics and Royal Children’s Hospital | Melbourne VIC 3000 | WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training in Child and Neonatal Health |
University of Melbourne, Royal Children’s Hospital, and Murdoch Children’s Research Institute | Parkville VIC 3052 | WHO Collaborating Centre for Adolescent Health |
University of New South Wales | Sydney NSW 2000 | WHO Collaborating Centre for Trachoma |
University of New South Wales | Sydney NSW 2000 | WHO Collaborating Centre on eHealth |
University of Queensland | Brisbane QLD 4000 | WHO Collaborating Centre for Children’s Health and the Environment |
University of South Australia | Adelaide SA 5000 | WHO Collaborating Centre for Occupational Health |
University of Sydney | Sydney NSW 2000 | WHO Collaborating Centre for Physical Activity, Nutrition and Obesity |
University of Sydney | Sydney NSW 2000 | WHO Collaborating Centre for Strengthening Rehabilitation Capacity in Health Systems |
University of Technology, Sydney (UTS) | Sydney NSW 2000 | WHO Collaborating Centre for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Development |
University of Western Australia (UWA) | Perth WA 6000 | WHO Collaborating Centre for Research, Training and Consultative Work on Mental Health |
Ear Science Institute Australia | Subiaco WA 6008 | WHO Collaborating Centre for Prevention of Deafness and Hearing Loss |
Victorian Health Promotion Foundation (VicHealth) | Carlton South VIC 3053 | WHO Collaborating Centre for Leadership in Health Promotion |
Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory (VIDRL) | Melbourne VIC 3000 | WHO Collaborating Center for Reference and Research on Influenza |
Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory (VIDRL) | Melbourne VIC 3000 | WHO Collaborating Centre for Mycobacterium Ulcerans |
Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory (VIDRL) | Melbourne VIC 3000 | WHO Collaborating Centre for Viral Hepatitis |
SA Health | Adelaide SA 5000 | WHO Collaborating Centre on Advancing Health in All Policies Implementation |
University of Newcastle | Newcastle NSW 2300 | WHO Collaborating Centre for Evidence-based NCD Program Implementation |
Southgate Institute for Health Equity and Society, Flinders University | Bedford Park SA 5042 | WHO Collaborating Centre on the Social, Political and Commercial Determinants of Health Equity |