About Us
Human resources one of the most difficult challenges to health systems for the majority of the world's population, particularly in developing countries. Limited human resources are widely recognised as an impediment to strengthening health systems and to achieving the health related Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). In seeking to address this, the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) has established the
Strategic Partnerships for Health Initiative which seeks to provide improved health knowledge and expertise to policy makers at national, regional and international levels by both AusAID and development partners, through the establishment of Knowledge Hubs in four key areas.
The Human Resources for Health Knowledge Hub (HRH Hub) is one of four Knowledge Hubs, funded by AusAID for a period of three years (2009-2011). The HRH Hub is based in the School of Public Health Community Medicine at UNSW. The other three hubs are the Health Policy and Health Financing Hub based at the Nossal Institute for Global Health, University of Melbourne; the Health Information Systems Hub at the School of Public Health, University of Queensland; and the Woman and Childrens Health Knowledge Hub (COMPASS), a partnership between the Burnet Institute, the Centre for International Child Health and the Menzies School of Health Research.
Aims and Objectives of the HRH Hub @ UNSW
The HRH Hub aims to contribute to the quality and effectiveness of Australia’s engagement in the health sector in the Asia-Pacific region by developing innovative policy options for strengthening HRH systems. It supports regional, national and international partners to develop effective evidence-informed national policy-making in the field of human resources for health. Our work is guided by a conceptual framework which embraces the World Health Organization's approach to health systems strengthening based on primary health care. It is informed by the action fields of the HRH Action Framework (2008) and cross-cutting issues that have been identified by stakeholders as central to their concerns.
Each years' work plan is guided by the following five core objectives:
| Objective 1: | To increase the critical, conceptual and strategic analysis of key HRH issues relevant to the Asia Pacific region that can be used to inform policy thinking and practical application at the national, regional and international levels. |
| Objective 2: | To expand convening powers and engagement (e.g. communication, networks and partnerships) between the Hubs, Australian institutions and Asia-Pacific national, regional and international research, development partners and educational institutes. |
| Objective 3: | To expand the capacity of Australian institutions and professionals and through them to Asia Pacific institutions and professionals to participate effectively in evidence informed policy making. |
| Objective 4: | To effectively disseminate relevant and useful knowledge resources which aim to influence policy thinking at national, regional and international levels. |
| Objective 5: | Develop and maintain an effective organisational structure that supports and directs operational and administrative functions, which underpin Hub activities. |
HRH Hub Annual Reports