Office of Global Initiatives

Carolina Nursing Global Update

A message from the Senior Associate Dean for Global Initiatives, Ashley Leak Bryant, PhD ’11, RN, OCN, FAAN

Greetings from Carolina Nursing! I am humbled to serve as the Senior Associate Dean for Global Initiatives. I am also serving as Center Director of the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) Collaborating Center in Quality and Safety, a role I share with Dean Valerie Howard, EdD, MSN, RN, CNE, ANEF, FAAN.

With more than 20 years of experience in local and global health education, I am proud to serve our community in these roles. I wanted to share information about our School of Nursing’s global efforts, our PAHO/WHO Collaborating Center, and ways you can get involved with our global education and outreach efforts at the SON.

Ways to get involved with the SON Office of Global Initiatives

• Do you have global experiences or expertise to share? Would you be willing to serve on a School of Nursing Global Advisory Board? Please fill out the brief form below to let us know your areas of interest and ways you would like to get involved with our global efforts.
• We know our alumni and friends are involved in meaningful and impactful local and global efforts and we want to hear about them! Email photos and stories of your global and local activities to our office songlobalhealth@unc.edu.

About the UNC School of Nursing PAHO/WHO Collaborating Center in Quality and Safety Education in Nursing and Midwifery

• In 2021 the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization designated the UNC School of Nursing as one of 45 WHO Collaborating Centers worldwide. This designation is from 2021-2025 and can be redesignated every 4 years.
• The center’s focus is on strengthening nursing and midwifery education and improving care for women and their babies. Carolina nursing will do this by developing online nurse leadership and training programs and conducting 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.
• You can learn more about the Center’s activities here.