Collaborations with health institutions

The Auckland Academic Health Alliance (AAHA) brings together three Auckland metropolitan hospitals with the University of Auckland to solve health problems collaboratively. The alliance has direct links to the University’s centres for brain, heart and cancer research. Read more about AAHA.

Auckland City Hospital

The University works closely with Auckland City Hospital across a range of cancer research programmes. These partnerships span precision medicine, cancer genomics, immunotherapies, diagnostics, radiation oncology and theranostics, with the shared aim of improving cancer diagnosis, treatment and patient outcomes in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Partners

• Auckland City Hospital Diagnostic Genomics
• Cancer and Blood Research
• Radiation Oncology
• Nuclear Medicine

National Women’s Health

Professor Katie Groom leads collaborative maternal and perinatal health research with National Women’s Health Auckland City Hospital. The partnership focuses on reducing preterm birth, improving pregnancy outcomes and ensuring equitable care for mothers and babies. Read Professor Groom’s research profile.  

Starship Hospital

A grant of $1.4 million was made to Professor Cameron Grant, as part of $4.3 million in funding from the Health Research Council (see below). Professor Grant is head of the Department of Paediatrics, Child and Youth Health at the University and a paediatrician at Starship Hospital. He will assess the effectiveness of a new treatment to reduce hospital admissions for preschool children with recurring respiratory illnesses.

The Service Establishment Programme

The University leads health workforce development in partnership with the Ministry of Health, The Fono, Victoria University of Wellington, University of Otago and professional nursing organisations. The programme supports the development of nurse practitioners and enrolled nurses, and it improves access to mental health and addiction services across Aotearoa. Read more about the programme.

Health Research Council partnerships

In 2025, University researchers received more than $4.3 million through the Health Research Council (HRC) to deliver collaborative projects addressing major health challenges, including stroke care, child respiratory illness and paediatric cancer nutrition. These projects involve clinicians, hospitals, patients, whānau and community partners. Read more about the range of research projects and collaborations supported by the 2025 funding round.

In February 2026, the HRC awarded $5.6 million to explore ways to improve health responses and outcomes for people facing chronic and complex health issues. The funding will enable the researchers to investigate how to improve access to asthma and kidney disease care to enhancing support for the caregivers of children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. Read about the researchers and projects receiving funding in 2026.

Support for underserved communities

The University supports initiatives that bring healthcare directly to underserved communities, through mobile health clinics. In Northland, the clinic offers free ear, nose and throat services. And in South Auckland, Vision Bus Aotearoa travels to schools, marae and refugee centres, providing eye tests and treatments – including glasses – at no cost to patients. Read more about these mobile clinics.

Donny Trust Palliative Care Nurse Specialist Training Programme

The University collaborates with healthcare providers to strengthen specialist palliative care through a nurse-specialist training programme. The programme supports workforce development across New Zealand, equipping nurses with advanced skills to deliver high-quality end-of-life care and improving support for patients and whānau. Read about the programme from student’s perspective.

Co-Create Age: Centre for Co-Created Ageing Research

The centre has been established by the University of Auckland to improve health, well-being and human flourishing of the older population in New Zealand, Aotearoa. It brings together communities and researchers to create practical solutions that support healthy ageing. Through cross sector partnerships and listening events, tools and services are co designed and tested, leading to validated care approaches and resources that communities and providers can apply to make lives better. Read more about Co-Create Age.

Te Whata Kura: Transforming antibiotic prescribing in Aotearoa

Te Whata Kura is a new national digital antibiotic prescribing guideline designed to tackle antimicrobial resistance and inconsistent prescribing practices across Aotearoa New Zealand. Developed through a collaboration between clinical leaders, researchers and Health New Zealand, the platform provides nationally aligned, evidence-based decision support at the point of care. Read more about the evolution of Te Whata Kura.

Translating research into practice

The University's Centre for Translational Health Research: Informing Policy and Practice (TRANSFORM) is dedicated to catalysing positive change in population health and well-being. The centre works with clinicians, health providers, policymakers and communities to translate health research into services, programmes and policy that improve health equity and well-being outcomes. At the heart of TRANSFORM's research ethos lies a profound commitment to collaborative design and partnership-driven methodologies. Read more about TRANSFORM.

Health and Rehabilitation Research

The Centre for Health and Rehabilitation Research partners with healthcare providers, industry partners and communities to conduct clinical trials and develop interventions that improve physical health, rehabilitation and wellbeing. Read more about their work.

Te Poutoko Ora a Kiwa – Centre for Pacific and Global Health

Te Poutoko Ora a Kiwa is a University research centre dedicated to capacity-strengthening, collaboration, and leadership in Pacific and global health. Its purpose is to advance health equity for Pacific peoples in Aotearoa and across Oceania, while contributing to global conversations on health, well-being, and resilience. Guided by Pacific values, knowledge systems, and community partnerships, Te Poutoko works alongside researchers, policymakers, clinicians and communities.

In March 2026, the centre announced a $5.1 million funding grant from the Matariki Fund, enabling it to roll out initiatives across the Pacific proven to prevent cervical cancer and save lives. And in September 2026, Te Poutoko Ora a Kiwa was officially launched as a World Health Organisation (WHO) Collaborating Centre for Noncommunicable Diseases and Climate Change.

Read more about Te Poutoko Ora a Kiwa.

WHO Collaborating Centre for Ear and Hearing Care

In 2025, the University's Eisdell Moore Centre was designated a World Health Organisation (WHO) Collaborating Centre for Ear and Hearing Care. This recognises a longstanding collaboration with the WHO and positions the centre within a global network to deliver improved hearing health and reduce health inequities. It includes work with the Fred Hollows Foundation, Pacific clinicians and researchers to:

• Screen children for hearing conditions
• Provide hearing aids
• Build specialist workforce capability
• Strengthen sustainable hearing-health services across Pacific nations.

Read more about the Eisdell Moore Centre and its collaboration with the WHO.

New Zealand–Singapore Health Research Collaboration

Through the 2025 Catalyst: Strategic New Zealand–Singapore Research Programme, University researchers are partnered with Singaporean health research institutions. The programme is jointly administered by New Zealand’s Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) and Singapore’s National Research Foundation (NRF).

A transdisciplinary project to develop innovative approaches to healthy ageing and dementia prevention was awarded $4 million by the programme. It will create an AI tool that integrates brain scans, blood biomarkers, cognitive test results and clinical data to predict an individual’s risk of developing dementia.
Read more about the research and collaboration that is being undertaken as part of the Catalyst programme.