The University of Tasmania and the State Government are partnering to increase the midwifery workforce. Photo: University of Tasmania.
Action is being taken to restore midwifery education at the University of Tasmania, with recruitment activities underway to prepare for the reintroduction of the Graduate Diploma of Midwifery from 2026.
A partnership between the Tasmanian Government and the University of Tasmania will re-establish the course in June next year, as part of the government’s commitment to educating midwives through the university.
The university has appointed a senior lecturer in midwifery to guide and deliver the course. A nationwide recruitment process is also underway for a professor of midwifery.
“The reintroduction of the Graduate Diploma of Midwifery at the University of Tasmania is the first step in supporting those seeking to become a midwife in our state,’’ Minister for Health, Mental Health and Wellbeing Bridget Archer said.
“This is also an important milestone because it creates the opportunity for broader postgraduate education offerings for our existing midwifery workforce, including research and advanced practice.”
Registered nurses interested in the Graduate Diploma of Midwifery can attend online information sessions scheduled for November. More information can be found on the University of Tasmania’s website, and the Department of Health website.
“Growing our own workforce and supporting midwives to work in our maternity services ensures that we can deliver safe, person-centred care that is accessible, equitable and meets the needs of Tasmanian women,” Ms Archer said.
Growing the midwifery workforce has been a priority of the government’s, with these measures the latest of several adopted to that end.
The Midwifery Matters Tasmanian Midwifery Workforce Strategy Consultation Draft 2025-2030 indicated that educating midwives domestically in Tasmania is a key principle in bolstering the profession in the state.
