Medicine & Health School of Health Sciences

Our strategy

Students from our health professional programs learning in UNSW Medicine & Health’s facilities

The mission of the School of Health Sciences is to contribute to the betterment of society and individuals’ lives through excellence in teaching, research and direct engagement in healthcare practices. This mission not only aligns with the UNSW and faculty strategies, it furthers them by offering pragmatic and meaningful opportunities to directly impact on the health and wellbeing of people’s lives in the short and long term. The school – including its research, teaching and practice-based environments – has the capacity to immediately improve healthcare in the community and the nation and influence policy direction for generations to come.

In recognition of the key priority areas set out by UNSW, we have targeted the following areas where we will deliver standards of excellence:

Education

This theme underscores all aspects of imparting knowledge and capacity to the next generation of healthcare professionals and to members of the broad community who will benefit from healthcare treatment programs. By highlighting education as a central value, we continually examine the changing healthcare needs of society and how to meet these needs through educational programs. We recognise the need for best-practice standards in the development and delivery of all courses and degrees, both online and face-to-face.

Education goals

  • Encouragement of inquisitive minds.
  • Foster a positive learning environment at all stages of the educational experience.
  • Provision of academic and practice-based programs that give students comprehensive capacity to work in Health Sciences.
  • Development and delivery of quality and in-depth course content in all programs (online and face-to-face).
  • Well-fostered exchange between teaching, scholarship, research and practice-based settings.
  • Encouragement and support for individual and collaborative teaching and research endeavours.
  • Ensuring that all aspects of student needs and expectations are addressed throughout their degrees. 
  • An appreciation of lifelong learning.
  • The ability to transfer practical skills and knowledge to clients for long-term and sustainable health benefits.

Our community

A reminder that we are all part of the greater whole. The courses, programs, teaching and research done within the School of Health Sciences are intrinsically tied into the broad community through the Lifestyle Clinic. Community healthcare requirements drive the development of the school’s programs, and equally, the work done by teaching staff and researchers determines the impact these programs have on individuals. The School of Health Sciences recognises the important role it holds in facilitating expert training programs for clinicians and ensuring that best-practice healthcare standards are delivered to the community.

Community goals

  • Develop purposeful relationships between the School of Health Sciences, health-related industry bodies, funding organisations, government and policy groups, and the community.
  • Enable fair and open access to Health Sciences educational programs to individuals (prospective students) who seek to benefit the diverse communities of Australia.
  • Seek out and actively pursue opportunities for innovative partnerships with community groups, businesses, charitable foundations and healthcare groups.
  • Contribute to government policy in the area of healthcare.
  • Respond to changing community need in terms of revising programs and content to best meet current and future healthcare needs.
  • Broaden community access to the school’s clinical and exercise treatment programs.
  • Establish the School of Health Sciences as a provider of program excellence throughout the Australian healthcare sector and to the broader community.
  • Recognise the overarching need to protect the environment in all life contexts.

Our people

We recognise that staff are the foundation upon which all research, teaching and community programs are built and delivered. The School of Health Sciences is newly founded and therefore determined to create the best possible work environment for its people to achieve their goals individually and as members of teams.

People goals

  • Acknowledge that staff (academic, technical and professional) in the School of Health Sciences are its most important asset.
  • Recognise and award staff achievement.
  • Seek out and actively pursue university and faculty funds to benefit staff in the School of Health Sciences.
  • Devise plans to create and support hubs in the school in areas of concern to staff.
  • Support staff to reach their full potential as researchers, teachers, practitioners, professional officers and policy advisors.