A new online course introduced by Centre for Eye Research Australia (CERA) and the University of Melbourne will provide students with professional qualifications in eye banking.
“The international course has been developed in conjunction with sector partners the Eye Bank Association of Australia and New Zealand (EBAANZ) and Donatelife Australia,” said Dr. Graeme Pollock from CERA’s Lions Eye Donation Service (LEDS), who leads the course academic and teaching team.
“The course, placed within the University of Melbourne’s Medical School (ranked by the Times Higher Education Supplement 2016 as the top university in Australia – with their Medical School in the top 10 in the world), will leverage from the accumulated knowledge and expertise of our system and from leading world experts in the field,” he said.
According to CERA, the genesis of the course is the growing sophistication and technical advancement of the sector combined with an international call for education at a higher level and for professional minimum qualifications.
The course is ideal for people new to eye banking and /or working in relevant sectors, such as tissue, organ, optometry, ophthalmology, medical science, nursing and international eye care development, who wish to improve their knowledge and skills.
“Graduates will transition beyond the fundamentals of eye banking and emerge as knowledgeable professionals and eye tissue custodians. They will develop skills that can be applied to all stages of eye tissue management including donor selection and recovery, recipient donor management, tissue examination and legal and regulatory requirements,” said Dr. Pollock.
The online course, international in content, is designed in two parts: firstly, a one subject Specialist Certificate minimal qualification (one 12-week semester), with the option to continue towards the Graduate Certificate level, which comprises two subjects, each delivered in 12-week semesters.
Both courses are now accepting applications and the Specialist Certificate course work will start in September 2017. Expressions of interest are invited from people with an undergraduate degree or equivalent in a health or medical science, and /or people with seven years professional documented work experience in a relevant health or medical science field.
According to CERA, the qualification is nationally transferable among ANZ eye banks and could lead to a career as an eye banker, an eye bank manager, donor coordinator, transplant coordinator. Additionally it will equip graduates for sector related positions such as risk and quality management, regulations and manufacturing, project management, global capacity development and bioethics. It will also provide a pathway into organ, tissues and cellular therapy sectors.
For information on the graduate certificate visit
For the specialist certificate visit
