New Dean has bright vision for College of Nursing and Midwifery

Charles Darwin University (CDU) has appointed a new Dean to the College of Nursing and Midwifery to strengthen workforce training, impactful research and the growth of its course delivery into the future.

Professor Karen Francis has a bright vision for the College, having joined CDU in Darwin at the beginning of 2022 as the Interim Dean in a 12-month appointment.  

Professor Francis has worked in senior leadership and research roles at various universities such as James Cook University, Monash University, Australian Catholic University, the University of Tasmania and Charles Sturt University.

She has previously led the School of Community Health at Charles Sturt University and the School of Nursing and the Launceston campus at the University of Tasmania.

Professor Francis’s work also spans internationally, where she worked with universities and researchers in Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand and Papua New Guinea.

“My current objective is to craft where we are going as a College and make sure it aligns with the strategic directions laid out in the University’s Strategic Plan,” Professor Francis said.

“Moving forward, CDU’s new vision, position and some initiatives will be really exciting for the NT and have a flow-on effect for the rest of Australia.”

Professor Francis also said CDU enjoyed a unique geographical location to provide high-impact education and research in the Northern Territory.

“CDU does a lot of fantastic work that is culturally relevant to First Nations and multicultural communities in Australia,” she said.

“The College has research areas that other universities do not have. For example, the Molly Wardaguga Research Centre has a profound impact on the existing and future generations of First Nations people.”

Professor Francis is also focused on improving the teaching and learning for current and future nurses and midwives in the Territory.

“Nurses and midwives represent 50 per cent of the health workforce and are even more important in the NT as a lot of nurses work remotely,” she said.

“Without nurses, there isn’t much of a health workforce based remotely. We need to work to improve the equity of access to healthcare for remote Territorians.”

The College has more than 7,000 students enrolled in nursing and midwifery courses, where students are highly sought-after to address the skill shortages exacerbated by COVID-19.

“Our students have been employed to help address the need for healthcare professionals during COVID-19, working in hospitals and the Howard Springs quarantine facility,” Professor Francis said.

“One of the unique opportunities of studying at CDU is that students can experience remote and rural practices, which few others have the chance to do.”