Media Release: June 2021
The Australian Council of Learned Academies (ACOLA) welcomes the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences as Australia’s newest Learned Academy.
ACOLA welcomes the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences (AAHMS) as Australia’s fifth and newest Learned Academy, as defined under the Higher Education Support Act. This decision by the Australian Government recognises the critical role AAHMS plays as a national resource for expert and evidence-based advice in the broad health and medical sciences fields.
Reflecting this, the ACOLA Board has now confirmed AAHMS as a full member of ACOLA, after initially becoming an Associate Member in 2020.
Since its establishment in 2014, AAHMS has become the premier source of impartial, authoritative, cross-sector advice on health and medical science in Australia. It has fostered leadership, providing expert advice to decision makers, and engaging patients and the public.
The ACOLA Board Chair, Professor John Shine AC FRS FAA noted that “AAHMS’ recognition as a Learned Academy is a testament to its critical role for government and society, evident most recently through its role during the COVID-19 pandemic and 2020 bushfires. During which, AAHMS drew on its Fellowship to provided essential, timely and independent health and medical advice.”
“Since its establishment, AAHMS has also contributed significantly to ACOLA’s interdisciplinary projects and activities, including as an Associate Member, alongside Australia’s other four Learned Academies. Most recently on ACOLA’s studies on the Internet of Things (IoT), Future of Agricultural Technologies and the Australian Energy Transition Research Plan.”
Professor Ingrid Scheffer, President of AAHMS, acknowledged its “Fellows and Associate Members for their ongoing contributions to our activities, and especially to those who have served on Council and the Executive since the Academy was established in 2014.”
“I would particularly like to thank Professor Ian Frazer, who was our inaugural President, for his vision and work in establishing the Academy,” said Professor Scheffer.
ACOLA’s CEO Mr Ryan Winn noted that “the scale and complexity of the challenges facing communities across the world call for fresh thinking and new approaches, if our legacy is to secure a better world for future generations. Supported by Australia’s now five Learned Academies, ACOLA is uniquely placed to enable the interdisciplinary, collaborative thinking needed to identify solutions to complex global problems and national needs.”
ACOLA congratulates and looks forward to deepening its relationship with AAHMS as a formally recognised Learned Academy.
Media contact
For more information or to arrange interviews, contact:
Ryan Winn
Chief Executive, ACOLA
0484 814 040
ACOLA is the forum whereby Australia’s Learned Academies and our Associate members come together to contribute expert advice to inform national policy; and to develop innovative solutions to complex global problems and emerging national needs. Through the learned academies, ACOLA has access to more than 3,000 of Australia’s greatest minds to bring together critical thinking and evidence to inform robust policy decisions.
