New UNSW teaching and research facility opens at Prince of Wales Hospital

28 August 2024

UNSW Sydney has unveiled its new $100 million Integrated Acute Services Building (IASB) at Prince of Wales Hospital, marking a significant milestone in healthcare collaboration.

Doctors, nurses and allied health teams will work side-by-side with students and researchers in the unique space.

A landmark development for NSW, it’s the first time a public hospital has featured an integrated university space. The state-of-the-art facility seamlessly connects UNSW and the hospital across 10 floors, fostering deep connections between students, researchers, educators and clinical care teams. 

Located along the eastern side of Randwick’s Prince of Wales Hospital Acute Services Building and within the Randwick Health & Innovation Precinct, the IASB features cutting-edge research laboratories, health engineering facilities, and flexible teaching and research spaces. 

General Manager for Prince of Wales Hospital, Jennie Barry, said the partnership with UNSW will strengthen and improve health outcomes for the community. 

“The integration of research and education into our acute clinical environment will lead to the development of new models of care, opportunities for patients to help co-design research, and enhanced education and interprofessional learning for staff,” she said. 

“As a proud partner of the Randwick Health & Innovation Precinct, we are excited to see what can be achieved within this community of world-class education, healthcare, clinical research and innovation.”

UNSW’s Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Attila Brungs, believes unique opportunities will come from this integrated space. 

“Being together on every single hospital floor means researchers and clinicians can share insights into current healthcare practice. Ultimately, it means patient healthcare will improve, and the improvements will happen faster.” 

“Our researchers and students will be working side-by-side with clinicians, nurses, and allied health teams. This innovative approach is designed to ensure that research and teaching activities are closely aligned with hospital work,” he said. 

Pictured: UNSW Medicine & Health students in the new clinical education rooms.