Global education partnership targets Australian nursing workforce growth

Australian healthcare and aged care providers are in line to benefit from a unique international partnership to create global opportunities for nursing and health sciences students.

Health Careers International Australia (HCI), which operates the Institute of Health and Management and Institute of Health and Nursing Australia, will partner with America’s Arizona State University and Australian private hospital operator Ramsay Health Care to deliver the Education for Employment model.

By partnering with Arizona State University, HCI will become part of the ASU-Cintana Alliance, a global network of universities.

Devised to address healthcare workforce shortages on a global scale, the international partnership will help increase the number of qualified nurses in Australia. Nursing students can develop sub-speciality qualifications and embrace the full scope of practice for the benefit of the entire Australian healthcare system.

“This collaboration marks a milestone in our mission to enhance the education experience for our students, to provide clear pathways to employment after graduation, and to empower Australian and international students to thrive in the evolving global healthcare landscape,” Doctor Bijo Kunnumpurath, founder and CEO of HCI, said.

“Our students come from diverse backgrounds, including Australian and overseas-trained healthcare professionals, as well as those looking to re-enter the healthcare field after time away from the workforce. This partnership leverages ASU’s world-class content and robust learning resources to increase students’ employability, while our collaboration with Ramsay Health Care ensures undergraduates receive well-supported clinical placements.”

The aged care sector currently faces a short-term gap of 6,000 nurses along with roughly 9,500 Registered Nurse job vacancies across the entire healthcare sector. 

Tim Hicks, Executive General Manager at Bolton Clarke, previously spoke to hello leaders about increasing Australia’s nursing pipeline to meet this demand. 

“To illustrate the impact of this variation, if all nursing schools increased completions as quickly from 2016 to 2022 as the ten fastest growing schools, we would have over 7,000 extra nursing graduates each year,” he said.

“We need to look into that more and what we can do at a policy level in particular to expand that pipeline. It’s about giving more people the opportunity to study what they want.”

Students who access HCI programs will now have the opportunity to participate in global research programs and international exchange programs via the ASU-Cintana Alliance to help elevate their learning. 

Ramsay Health Care’s Chief Nurse and Clinical Services Director, Associate Professor Bernadette Eather, shared her excitement over the partnership’s potential impact for their services. 

“Ramsay is very focussed on providing a comprehensive career pathway for nurses and midwives. We are committed to ensuring accessible education for regional Australians and to training the workforce of the future to meet the needs of the healthcare sector,” she said.

“This partnership with HCI and ASU will support the development of a highly skilled workforce, which is essential for the delivery of high quality, safe and effective clinical care for our patients.”

Nancy Gonzales, Executive Vice President, and University Provost at Arizona State University, added that it’s their goal to make world-class higher education accessible to everyone.