Industry in focus: Health

Australia is home to some of the world’s most recognised and significant health science and research institutes and for many years, it has led the way in ground-breaking discoveries that have improved the lives of people in every corner of the globe.  

Australia invented the cochlear bionic ear, spray-on skin, the cervical cancer vaccine, the medical application of penicillin, and the world’s first pacemaker; while its scientists’ research projects and outcomes regularly appear in the most prestigious medical journals, and they are often called upon to speak at major international events.  

First-class medical research facilities in Sydney – such as the Garvan Institute of Medical Research, the Lowy Cancer Research Centre, Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute and the Charles Perkins Centre at the University of Sydney – are world-leaders in their respective fields, and are just four of many Australian institutes striving to solve health issues that cost global economies billions of dollars. 

The State Government of New South Wales (NSW) is committed to supporting medical research and has invested AUD$5 billion to grow health precincts across Greater Sydney. There are currently 13 health and education precincts and 26 pharmaceutical and biotechnology clusters centred around Sydney’s major hospitals, co-located with at least one Sydney’s major universities. 

Sydney’s health precincts – including those at Westmead, Randwick and Camperdown – each comprise education and research hubs that offer business visitors the opportunity to see Australian research and clinical practice in action. 

The NSW Government is accelerating development one of Australia’s largest existing health and research zones, establishing Westmead Health and Innovation District as a global centre for new discoveries, commercialisation, treatment, education, and training. The district includes four major hospitals, four world-leading medical research institutes, two university campuses and the largest research-intensive pathology service in the state of NSW. 

With a focus on innovative models of health care enhanced by emerging technologies, data analytics and industry partnerships, Westmead will house new industries and research partnerships that deliver jobs for NSW and better medical care for the world; and by 2036 the number of full-time staff working in the precinct will increase to more than 50,000 and the number of students will expand to more than 10,000. 

In the inner southeast of Sydney, the Randwick Health and Innovation Precinct has seen more than AUD$1.5 billion invested to redevelop an existing hospital and research cluster. In the inner west, the Camperdown-Ultimo Collaboration Area – which includes the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, University of Sydney, University of Technology Sydney and the University of Notre Dame – is considered the most significant innovation precinct in the state. Among the first projects for development is a viral vector advanced manufacturing facility that will provide ground-breaking trial therapies for infections, cancer and genetic diseases. 

In addition, Sydney boasts world-class venues and event delivery partners, as well as an experienced and intellectually curious team at BESydney who are ready to support associations to deliver global meetings that inspire, motivate, educate and connect industry leaders.  

BESydney has worked with many clients to host major global meetings for the health sector, from the International Conference on Oesophageal Atresia (2016), International Congress of Ocular Oncology (2017), and Conference of the International Society of Environmental Epidemiology (2017), to the Annual Meeting of the Eating Disorders Research Society (2018) and the Skin Cancer Foundation’s World Congress on Cancers of the Skin (2018). In addition, BESydney’s network benefits from strong connections to government and a Global Ambassador program that comprises world leading experts, including leaders from the health sector, who lend their support to confirm Sydney as one of the world’s premier locations for global meetings. 

Better yet, Sydney is open, COVID Safe and welcoming international visitors, so why not contact us to learn more about how we can help you stage your next global meeting.