Health Sciences Council 2010 2010 Health Sciences Council Administration/Operations Identified Need: Common support for interdisciplinary functions Major Action: Administrative structures and processes are created to support health scholarship Activities Benefits • Support interdisciplinary health scholarship through budget, HR and risk management advising, and space planning Administrative effectiveness and efficiencies are achieved where it makes sense • Represent U of A on provincial steering committees for student placement issues • Run fit testing program for N95 respirators (~1400 students) • Manage affiliation agreements • Develop international checklist for use of a health sciences faculties Internal & External Relations Identified Need: Enhanced aitude toward, value of and support for interdisciplinary scholarship Main Action: Coordinates and increases health team messaging and branding Activities Benefits • Continuous Coordinated Campus Communication More and trustworthy internal communication about interdisciplinary health scholarship Build brand for U of A around capacity for health team research and education Reputation of Interprofessional health scholarship is enhanced and protected • Integrated Strategic Communications Related to Edmonton Clinic North • Maintenance of media relations and promotion of interdisciplinary health sciences success stories • Alumni Relations • Production of knowledge translation products • Creative and strategic messaging for recruitment of quality undergraduate and graduate students Identified Need: External relations and mechanisms that support interdisciplinary health scholarship Main Action: Interdisciplinary opportunities are acted on in a timely manner Activities Benefits • Build and maintain relationships with existing and potential external partners / stakeholders Increased resources are available for health team scholarship U of A Health Sciences are seen as good partners • Ensure that the interests of HS faculties are served in the development and implementation of the U of A framework for ECN • Facilitate and steward interdisciplinary fund raising initiatives There are many opportunities for University leaders to advance interdisciplinary health scholarship and have a significant local and global impact. At the University of Alberta (U of A), Edmonton, Canada, these opportunities are leveraged by a coordinated council of deans called the Health Sciences Council. The Health Sciences Council (HSC) at the U of A is the cross cuing mechanism initiated in the 1980s and continuously supported by the health science deans and the provost. The U of A offers 43 health science programs in eight faculties to approximately 8,000 students at the pre-licensure and graduate level. The Council facilitates interdisciplinary learning, discovery and citizenship through leadership and collaboration across all health disciplines. Members include the faculties of Medicine and Dentistry; Nursing; Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences; Rehabilitation Medicine; Physical Education and Recreation; Agricultural, Life and Environmental Sciences; School of Public Health; Augustana (rural faculty) and the department of Dentistry. The U of A Associate Vice-President (Research) and provincial health authority are also represented on the Council, as is the University of Calgary’s faculty of Social Work. The Council leads, not only in interdisciplinary research and interprofessional education, but in the management of knowledge and discussion around all issues related to health, from lab work to policy making. The Council has evolved significantly over its thirty year history from an informal information sharing body to its current role as an academic leadership unit that mitigates competing priorities and resources in the face of the need for interdisciplinary health scholarship. The U of A is the only university in Canada to address interdisciplinary health scholarship via a coordinated and collaborative Council of equals. This approach allows each faculty to maintain autonomy and develop their unique disciplinary strengths while addressing challenges and opportunities common to all. Health Sciences Council: Change Agent for Health Team Scholarship The Health Sciences Council reflects the breadth and depth of complex relationships required to develop a successful academic health centre that includes health service entities and a health science campus. The goal of these relationships is excellence in scholarship and accountability in service delivery. Working Arrangement A core team of people form the Secretariat to the Health Sciences Council. The team is arranged to optimize delivery of the three academic principles: 1) Teaching and Learning; 2) Research Engagement; and 3) Citizenship. These areas are supported by solid administration and operations as well as a robust internal and external relations campaign. The Secretariat works to address each of these activities as follows: Teaching and Learning • Develop interdisciplinary education to advance teamwork in health care Research Engagement • Facilitate successful interdisciplinary health sciences research networks, relationships and resources • Facilitate Knowledge to Action in interdisciplinary health education, practice and policies Citizenship • Create a physical presence to embody an interdisciplinary health sciences identity • Lead collective U of A health sciences policies and positions on interdisciplinary issues Administration/Operations • Provide common support for interdisciplinary functions Internal and External Relations • Support enhanced aitude toward, value of and support for interdisciplinary scholarship • Develop relationships and mechanisms that support interdisciplinary health scholarship Health Sciences Council University of Alberta 300 Campus Tower, 8625 - 112 Street Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 1K8 1-780-492-2861 www.healthscience.ualberta.ca