The agreement was signed on 22 January 2026 at La Trobe’s Bundoora campus by Professor Coral Warr, Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research and Innovation, and witnessed by Professor Didier Jourdan, chair holder of the UNESCO Chair Global Health & Education.
Professor Warr said the partnership would amplify the University’s longstanding commitment to health equity in Australia and across the globe.
“Joining the UNESCO Chair Global Health & Education gives La Trobe a tremendous platform to share our world class research, especially in regional and Indigenous health and education, building on the great work we are already doing in these fields,” Professor Warr said.
“Our researchers work closely with communities across Australia and beyond, and contributing that knowledge to a global network means we can strengthen not only local practice, but also global approaches to addressing health inequities.”
Through this partnership, La Trobe joins a global network of universities, institutions and practitioners committed to promoting health, equity and quality education for children and young people in their everyday environments.
La Trobe’s contribution was championed Distinguished Professor Richard Osborne and the Global Health and Equity Development (GHED) Research Hub, internationally recognised for its pioneering work in health literacy, including the Ophelia (Optimising Health Literacy and Access) process and tools to identify and respond to health literacy needs.
La Trobe’s contribution will be co-ordinated across multiple disciplines with leadership from the Faculty of Education and the La Trobe Rural Health School.
Professor Osborne said La Trobe’s membership in the network will deepen the University’s collective effort to generate real impacts in collaboration with global partners.
“Being part of this international Global Health and Education Network will further increase our engagement with UNESCO,” Professor Osborne said.
“It opens up new pathways for joint research, ensuring that projects developed at La Trobe contribute to practical solutions for communities around the world.”
The collaboration will focus on co-producing knowledge, building the capacity of education and health professionals, and promoting innovative practices that reduce health inequities across communities in Australia, the Asia Pacific region and beyond.
Planned activities include joint workshops, case studies, and the co-design of research projects and policies at the intersection of health literacy, education and equity design of research projects and policies at the intersection of health literacy, education and equity.
By joining the UNESCO Chair Global Health & Education, La Trobe University strengthens the Chair’s mission to support governments and organisations in the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals related to health, education and the reduction of inequalities.
