The ACN Foundation is proud to announce the launch of a PhD scholarship program in partnership with Australian Catholic University (ACU), Ausmed, and Monash Health, designed to advance nursing leadership in digital health and drive innovation in electronic health records.
The ACN Foundation scholarship will be named the Cynthea Wellings PhD Scholarship – Advancing nursing research and building Australia’s digital health capabilities. The $90,000 top-up scholarship, to be delivered over three years, has been kindly supported by sponsorship from leading healthcare education provider Ausmed, demonstrating the industry’s commitment to advancing nursing research and digital health capabilities.
Cynthea Wellings, pictured, founded Ausmed in 1987. From its beginnings as a small publishing house, Ausmed became a pioneer in digital education, and has grown into one of Australia’s largest online libraries of clinical and care education. Cynthea was educated as a registered nurse at the Royal London Hospital, England and in 2014 was named one of Australia’s ‘100 Women of Influence’ by the Australian Financial Review.
ACN CEO, Adjunct Professor Kathryn Zeitz FACN, described Cynthea as a leading champion of nursing education, and an outstanding example of nursing leadership in digital transformations.
She said nurses must be key drivers of the effective implementation of digital health technologies to enhance patient safety, and promote the use of data to improve care quality and efficiency.
“Nursing leadership is integral to the success of digital health,” Adjunct Professor Zeitz said.
“This new scholarship represents a significant investment in the future of nursing practice in Australia.
“By fully embracing digital health and informatics, we’re ensuring that patients and the health system will benefit from nurses’ expertise in healthcare innovation and deep understanding of the realities and needs of healthcare delivery.”
Director of ACU’s Graduate Research School, Ms Michelle Lopez, said the university’s scholarship program brings together talented PhD candidates, experienced academics, and industry partners to deliver evidence-based solutions to real-world challenges.
“By contributing $233,000 to this PhD scholarship, ACU is demonstrating its commitment to collaborative engagement and high-impact research,” Ms Lopez said.
“The investment also reflects our dedication to enabling flourishing lives, fostering thriving communities, and shaping an ethical future – core pillars of ACU’s vision.”
The PhD scholarship will support research into informatics and digital health, with the exact project to be determined based on the successful candidate’s interests, experience, and prior education.
Potential research areas include:
- Understanding the use of standardised nursing terminologies in advancing the visibility and value of nursing care.
- Investigating digital health workforce requirements for successful health transformation.
- Exploring the impact of co-designing and co-evaluating digital health technologies with patients and consumers.
- Contemporary application of artificial intelligence to nursing work.
- Exploring the impact of integrating standardised nursing data into local and national ecosystems.
- Strengthening nurse care planning and multi-disciplinary care coordination through digital technologies.
- Investigating the relationship between standardised nursing terminologies taught in education and those used in electronic medical records.
Professor Stephen Guinea, Associate Dean of Learning, Teaching and Professional Experience at ACU’s Faculty of Health Sciences, is leading the working group responsible for implementing this initiative.
Application Process
Expressions of interest for the PhD scholarship close on Friday 27 February 2026, with full applications due on Wednesday 1 April 2026. Further information about the scholarship and application process can be found here.
About the Partners
The ACN Foundation is the charitable arm of the Australian College of Nursing, dedicated to supporting nursing education, research, and professional development initiatives that advance the nursing profession and improve healthcare outcomes for all Australians.
ACU’s Faculty of Health Sciences is recognised for its excellence in nursing and midwifery education and research.
Monash Health exists to reimagine care, so that people can live their best lives. We provide safe and equitable care, for every stage of life, delivered with world-leading expertise and over 175 years of experience. As a leading academic health service, we’re committed to providing tomorrow’s care today by integrating research, teaching, and training into everyday practice. Monash Health has not contributed to the funding of this scholarship.
Together, Monash Health, Australian Catholic University and the Australian College of Nursing collaborate as the Australian International Council of Nurses-Accredited Research and Development Centre for International Classification for Nursing Practice. Its aim is to advance nursing and midwifery education, shape nursing policy, and drive innovation in digital health, particularly in electronic health records. The Centre’s main objectives are to use the International Classification for Nursing Practice to support care delivery, research, and evaluation, with the aim of improving the quality and effectiveness of healthcare services.
Ausmed helps healthcare professionals and organisations build capability. Beyond training and compliance, we support career growth, skill development, and resilience. By uniting learning, competency management, policies, and performance in one system, Ausmed empowers individuals and strengthens organisations for the future of care.
Contact details:
ACN Foundation
0449 803 524
ACU
Professor Michael Cole
Ausmed
Austin Pladson
Monash Health
Janette Gogler
