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Carolina Nursing named WHO/PAHO Collaborating Center in Quality and Safety Education in Nursing and Midwifery

Carolina Nursing named WHO/PAHO Collaborating Center in Quality and Safety Education in Nursing and Midwifery

June 10, 2021
School of Nursing
Photo of the School of Nursing building from the outside entrance. There are banners to the left and right. One reads "first in nursing" and the other says "we will be what we have"

Carrington Hall on the campus of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. (Jon Gardiner/UNC-Chapel Hill)



The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Nursing has been designated a Collaborating Center in Quality and Safety Education in Nursing and Midwifery by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).

The prestigious designation recognizes the UNC School of Nursing’s commitment to strengthening nursing and midwifery education and improving care for women and their babies.

As one of 45 WHO Collaborating Centers worldwide focused on nursing and midwifery, Carolina nursing will develop online nurse leadership and training programs and conduct research to improve health care quality and safety in the American region. The focus aligns with the School’s distinction as the birthplace of the Quality and Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN) International Institute.

The school dean and Mariane Baernholdt, associate dean for global initiatives, will serve as directors of the Collaborating Center which has been designated through 2025. The UNC School of Nursing’s responsibilities include:

  • Developing training modules for nursing quality improvement and simulation, which will be made publicly available and free on the School’s website
  • Developing an online Nursing Leadership and Administration training program plan to support the development of nurses (also free on the website)
  • Preparing instructors to deliver the trainings and providing support during the implementation and evaluation of the programs
  • Conducting research focused on quality health care including research capacity and training in the Caribbean region
  • Conducting evaluations and guidance on implementation of undergraduate and advanced practice nursing programs in Regions of the Americas
  • Developing a nursing workforce report about nursing and midwifery capacity in Ecuador

The UNC School of Nursing is joining an international network of hundreds of institutions facilitating the work of WHO around the globe, including the Water Institute at UNC and the Department of Maternal and Child Health at UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health.

About the School of Nursing

Established in 1950, the UNC School of Nursing is part of a cutting-edge, research-intensive university with top-ranked schools of medicine, public health, pharmacy, dentistry and social work located just steps away and adjacent to the renowned UNC Hospitals.

Ranked #1 among public schools of nursing for graduate education (U.S. News and World Report), Carolina Nursing provides a diverse, energetic and collegial environment for participating in world-class interprofessional education, scientific inquiry and practice opportunities. The school offers BSN, MSN, DNP and PhD degree programs, as well as post-graduate certificate programs. For more information, visit nursing.unc.edu.

About the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the nation’s first public university, is a global higher education leader known for innovative teaching, research and public service. A member of the prestigious Association of American Universities, Carolina regularly ranks as the best value for academic quality in U.S. public higher education. Now in its third century, the University offers 74 bachelor’s, 104 master’s, 65 doctorate and seven professional degree programs through 14 schools including the College of Arts & Sciences. Every day, faculty, staff and students shape their teaching, research and public service to meet North Carolina’s most pressing needs in every region and all 100 counties. Carolina’s 336,392 alumni live in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, U.S. Territories and 164 countries. More than 182,182 live in North Carolina.

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