WHO Collaborating Centre
for Nursing and Multidisciplinary Rehabilitation
The Department of Nursing, Community and Public Health at Glasgow Caledonian University is proud to have been re-designated as a World Health Organisation (WHO) Collaborating Centre in October 2024.
Glasgow Caledonian has hosted a Nursing Collaborating Centre since 1993 and the latest designation marks our next steps in supporting the crucial work of the WHO. The re-designation highlights Glasgow Caledonian's continued commitment to advancing nursing practice, research, and education on an international scale. With a renewed focus on rehabilitation and evidence-informed nursing models, the Collaborating Centre is hoping to play a pivotal role in supporting WHO’s global health priorities, particularly in implementing the Rehabilitation 2030 initiative and strengthening nursing education and practice worldwide.
The Collaborating Centre at GCU is the only WHO Nursing Collaborating Centre in the UK.
WHO Collaborating Centres are a "highly valued mechanism of cooperation in which selected institutions are recognized by WHO to assist the Organization with implementing its mandated work. This is accomplished by supporting the achievement of planned strategic objectives at the regional and global levels; enhancing the scientific validity of its global health work; and developing and strengthening institutional capacity in countries and regions." (WHO Website)
WHO collaboration in nursing and rehabilitation at Glasgow Caledonian University
The Glasgow Caledonian WHO Collaborating Centre works in support of the WHO European Regional Office in Copenhagen, Denmark, on objectives related to the European Programme of Work and the WHO Global Strategic Directions for Nursing and Midwifery. These were updated in 2025 and can be found on the WHO website.
Nursing across Europe is very diverse in terms of educational preparation, professional regulation, and scope of practice and by sharing good practice we can learn and develop from each other’s experience to work in ways that improve health outcomes.
Our primary task as a WHO Collaborating Centre is to work with the European Regional Office to strengthen the nursing and midwifery workforce to maximise their potential to contribute to the WHO Europe priority areas, at a national, regional and global level.
Objectives of the Glasgow Caledonian WHO Collaborating Centre
- Provide technical input to WHO that may inform its work when supporting Member States in developing evidence-based resources to support with the implementation of the Rehabilitation 2030: A Call to Action across the WHO European Region.
- Support WHO`s activities when identifying models of good nursing education and practice by collecting evidence that may inform WHO`s evidence-informed decision making, and by providing technical information related to the respective area.
Types of activity
- Evaluation
- Training and Education
- Coordination of activities carried out by several institutions (e.g. other WHO Collaborating Centres)
Global network of WHO Collaborating Centres for Nursing and Midwifery
We are a member of the larger family of WHO Collaborating Centres for Nursing and Midwifery, the Global Network providing us with opportunities to collaborate with Nurses and Midwives from over 43 centres around the world.
Contact
Director: Dr Gordon Hill, Email: Gordon.Hill@gcu.ac.uk
Deputy Director: Tom McAlear, Email: Tom.McAlear@gcu.ac.uk
Rehabilitation Lead: Professor Lorna Paul, Email: Lorna.Paul@gcu.ac.uk