University of Melbourne and Public Health Foundation of India ink MoU to elevate healthcare initiatives

On September 28, Nicola Phillips, Provost Professor at the University of Melbourne, and Professor Sanjay Zodpey, the head of the Public Health Foundation of India, entered into a renewed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Lisa Singh, the chief of the Australia India Institute, to extend their ongoing partnership involving the University of Melbourne.

The University of Melbourne & PHFI collaboration

This reaffirms the enduring partnership between the University and the Public Health Foundation of India. The collaboration, which initially began with an MoU in 2009, saw further reinforcement from the University of Melbourne through a Student Exchange Agreement in 2017

Deepening ties and broadening horizons

The objective behind the recent MoU is to consolidate the bond between these two institutions further and expand their global academic community. During the signing ceremony, Professor Phillips highlighted how closely the institutions have collaborated since the inception of the Public Health Foundation of India. Their joint efforts have focused on addressing intricate global health challenges pooling resources and knowledge to elevate health standards in India and other regions. He emphasized the significance of the enduring connection between the Melbourne School of Population and Global Health and the Nossal Institute and their alliance with the Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI).

Innovations and Initiatives: A snapshot

Throughout their partnership, the organizations, with significant involvement from the University, have pioneered initiatives such as the VirtuCare (Virtual Healthcare Network) project. This venture, supported by esteemed institutions including the University of Melbourne, Australia India Institute, Emmanuel Hospital Association, and the University of Adelaide, sought to develop innovative approaches for virtual healthcare delivery. Moreover, in close collaboration with the University, they embarked on the introduction and in-depth research of the Rapid Assessment of Disability tool, a creation of the Nossal Institute, which was later tailored for collaborators in India.

The ENCORE programme: Bridging research gaps

Furthermore, with significant contributions from the University of Melbourne, the collaboration embarked on the unified implementation of the Excellence in Non-Communicable Disease Research (ENCORE) program. This initiative, closely associated with the University of Melbourne, has facilitated numerous training sessions for students and faculty in both India and Australia. It has played a pivotal role in enhancing and strengthening research collaborations between the University and several top-tier public health and medical research institutions in India.

WRITTEN BY

Aastha

Study Abroad Expert

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