World Health Organisation: A Collaborating Centre Role 

In 1988 the Centre was designated a WHO Collaborating Centre for research on the epidemiology of ageing in recognition of the significance of the Australian Longitudinal Study of Ageing and a series of studies in Asia and the Pacific, South East Asia and the Middle East on health and social aspects of ageing. In 2000 the Centre was redesignated and ‘upgraded’ to a collaborating centre on population ageing – research, education and policy, reflecting the substantial international contribution made by the Centre’s staff to this field. The Terms Of Reference for CAS as a WHO Collaborating Centre are:

• To collaborate with WHO in the analysis of policy implications of current demographic trends throughout the Western Pacific Region and advise on the formulation of policies at regional and national levels as required; 
• To provide advice on planning, implementation and evaluation of community based services for older persons locally, nationally and internationally; 
• To participate in the improvement of educational and training opportunities in health and ageing in the Region; 
• To collaborate in the further development of population based research on ageing and health designed to provide useful information for policy, planning and program implementation; 
• To maintain a comprehensive archive of research methodologies and instrumentation; and 
• To provide information and advocacy on ageing and health nationally and internationally.

(WHO charter to Centre for Ageing Studies, September 2000) 

For South Australia, this WHO role offers substantial benefits, enabling the state to more readily access international research, expertise and best practice models and to profile the state’s expertise in ageing issues.