WHO Annual Report 03-2019 to 03-2020

1. Annual report on the agreed workplan
Describe the progress made on the agreed workplan. For each activity, detail (1) the actions taken, (2) the outputs delivered, as well as (3) any difficulties that may have been encountered. Three responses are expected. [maximum 200 words per activity]. Indicate, if an activity has been completed previously, has not yet started or has been placed on hold.

Activity 1
Title: Promote the public understanding of TM practice and products
Description: Traditional forms of medicine are normally used in a holistic context involving lifestyle changes, customers need to be aware of the risks and benefits of traditional medicine practice and products to make informed decisions about their health choice. The activity intends to introduce Chinese Medicine through Confucius Institute, a collaborative project with RMIT University in Australia established to promote the study of Chinese culture and language.

The center continued to explore new modes of combining Chinese language teaching together with Chinese medicine by setting up the Chinese Language in a Chinese Medicine Clinical Setting course in the Chinese Medicine Confucius Institute. The course was warmly welcomed by RMIT students who intend to experience TCM clinical practice in Nanjing.

The CMCI organized various activities, including regular visits to Chinese Medicine Herbal Garden, free quality Chinese medicine consultation and treatments in the teaching clinic, Chinese Materia Medica Photo Exhibition, Chinese Medicine Knowledge Competition and Taiji boxing training, enhancing the understanding and recognition of traditional medicine in Australia.

At present, Chinese medicine culture health care lectures and Taiji boxing training have become fixed projects among a number of communities, which will help promote the understanding and recognition of traditional medicine among the Australian people.

In 2019, the center set up Chinese medicine and Regenerative Medicine Confucius Institute with National University of Ireland, Galway. As a research-oriented Confucius Institute, it will give full play to the characteristics and advantages of Chinese medicine in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases in the life sciences, and gradually promote the understanding and recognition of traditional Chinese medicine among the people in Europe.

Activity 2
Title: Develop and provide training programs and opportunities of TM
Description: It is important that traditional medicine providers have sufficient knowledge to assess advantages and limitations, and have confidence in the quality, safety and effectiveness of traditional medicine. The activity intends to develop diverse education programs in traditional medicine and provide training opportunities as appropriate at the request of WHO Headquarters and Regional Office for health care providers and relevant researchers at Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine.
The center provides Chinese medicine degree programs, short-term training programs and further educational opportunities for international students. In 2019, the center enrolled altogether 113 students for short-term training from 16 countries and regions, carried out Chines medicine acupuncture training for 74 students from 11 countries and regions in 4 classes, admitted 169 new students in Chinese medicine degree programs, including 127 students in bachelor, 24 in master and 18 in doctoral program. The center arranges various clinical internships for students to train their practical skills.

In the meanwhile, the center established joint Chinese medicine degree programs including bachelor, master and doctor degrees with the following higher education institutions overseas, Western Sydney University, RMIT University, John▪Jenny College in Canada, Lan Victoria TCM College in UK, Swiss College of Chinese Medicine, Rangsit University in Thailand, Singapore TCM College, etc. The center has made contact with Brazilian Cultural Exchange Association, University of Fribourg of Swiss, Mexican Chinese Medicine University, City University of Malaysia, and developed diversified traditional medicine training programs according to the specific requirements of different countries.

Activity 3
Title: Strengthen working relations with WHO/HQ, WHO/RO and other WHO CCs
Description: WHO Executive Board encourages WHO CCs to develop working relations with other centres by creating or joining collaborative networks. Region or country specific efforts have also been included in this network. For better alignment with WHO programs, the activity intends to introduce new synergies and peer-to-peer opportunities for WHO CCs through network establishment within and between countries.
In April and May, 2019, the center and Shanghai University of TCM, a WHO CC based in Shanghai conducted mutual visits of senior admin staff. In the future, the two centers will strengthen high-level and multidimensional cooperation and exchanges in major scientific research projects, discipline construction and personnel training.

In July 2019, the center sent a delegation to RMIT University, a WHO CC based in Melbourne, Australia to promote the cooperation in Chinese Medicine Confucius Institute, cooperative educational and joint scientific research programs.

In October 2019, the Coordination Office of WHO Collaborative Centers in China visited the center to assess the specific work carried out as WHO CC.

In November 2019, the center organized experts from Schools of Clinical Medicine, Acupuncture and Tuina, Health Economics and Management to participate in a video conference with Dr. Park Yu Lee from WHO WPRO to discuss the future ToRs and planned activities in the coming tenth term.

In accordance with the requirements of WHO, the center organized experts to review the WHO document titled “Key technical issues for herbal medicines with reference to interaction with other medicines” (second edition) and the technical document on WHO benchmarks for training in Anthroposophic Medicine.

Activity 4
Title: Enhance cooperation and exchange between countries in respect of TM
Description: The inherited information on traditional medicine practice and products from various countries is an important cultural resource to be treasured, which is still highly scattered at present. The activity intends to encourage cooperation and exchange for training, research and information to facilitate the harmonization of traditional medicine.
The center has received 38 inbound delegations with 214 visitors from 18 countries and regions, and sent 88 outbound delegations with 197 faculty members to boost the exchanges concerning Chinese medicine. The center secured three national-level overseas TCM centers, respectively in UK, Switzerland and France from the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine. The center jointly built a global quality Chinese herbal resource base with Tasmania University and AEMG.

The center continued to establish overseas branches of its International Jingfang Institute, conducting 6 overseas lectures on Chinese medicine Jingfang and providing Jingfang medical training to more than 300 students, in an effort to make the Chinese medicine original thinking and clinical efficacy understood and known to more foreign public.

The center signed MoU with Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, and signed a framework agreement of jointly establishing Chinese Medicine and Regenerative Medicine Research Center with National University of Ireland, Galway. Its application for Chinese medicine herbal prescription Banxia Houpu Soup to the Ministry of Health in Canada entered the final approval stage.

The center held a series of international academic conferences on topics including Chinese medicine treating infertility, commemorating Chinese medicine master Chen Dan An and classic Chinese medicine literature.

2. Annual report on other activities requested
Should WHO have requested activities in addition to the agreed workplan, please describe related actions taken by your institution [maximum 200 words]. Please do not include in this report any activity done by your institution that was not requested by and agreed with WHO. 
No. 

3. Resources
Indicate staff time spent on the implementation of activities agreed with WHO (i.e. those mentioned in questions no. 1 and no. 2 above). Do not include any data related to other activities done by your institution without the agreement of WHO. Please indicate staff time using the number of “full-day equivalents” – a day of work comprising 8 hours (e.g. 4 hours work per day for 7 days should be recorded as 3.5 full-day equivalents).
Number of staff involved (either partially or fully)

Number of full-day equivalents, total for all staff involved

Implementation of the agreed workplan activities (i.e. those mentioned in questions no. 1 and no. 2 above) normally require resources beyond staff-time, such as the use of laboratory facilities, purchasing of materials, travel, etc. Please estimate the costs of these other resources as a percentage of the total costs incurred (e.g. if you incurred costs of USD 100 and the value of your staff time was USD 50 which makes the total of USD 150, please report 33.3% and 66.7%).

4. Networking
Describe any interactions or collaboration with other WHO Collaborating Centres in the context of the implementation of the agreed activities If you are part of a network of WHO Collaborating Centres, please also mention the name of the network and describe your involvement in that network [maximum 200 words].

The center has established joint conference mechanism together with CCs in Shanghai and Beijing. In December 2019, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, a CC based in Shanghai held the Joint Conference of China International Acupuncture Training Centers. The center attended with China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, a WHO CC based in Beijing. Annually, the three WHO CCs gather together in the joint conference to discuss joint development and resource-sharing, with aim to establish global acupuncture training platform and provide excellent teaching media for international students.

Also interacting with WHO CC outside China, the center collaborated with RMIT University, Australia, a WHO CC based in Melbourne to build Jiangsu-Victoria Chinese Medicine Center with aim to enhance the health and welfare of Chinese and Australian people. Since 1991, the two centers started to cooperate in Chinese medicine degree program, pioneering in opening Chinese medicine bachelor degree program in Australia, which facilitated the legalization of Chinese medicine in Australia. Since 2010, the two centers jointly built the Chinese Medicine Confucius Institute integrating the learning of Chinese medicine with mandarin, opening a window for Australian people to understand Chinese medicine and Chinese culture.