Life-changing Cancer Education Program recognised with international award
The University of Melbourne’s Cancer Sciences Unit (CSU), delivered in partnership with the Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre Alliance,has been recognised by the Association for Medical Education in Europe (AMEE) with the 2026 ASPIRE Social Accountability Award.
The CSU delivers a range of flexible, high-quality cancer education programs that are clinically relevant, research-informed and responsive to emerging priorities.
The multi-institutional initiative won the AMEE award for its contribution to addressing oncology care inequities across metropolitan, regional, rural, remote, and international settings, particularly highlighting the unit’s dedication to building cancer care capability in the Pacific Islands.
The CSU was commended for its Master of Cancer Sciences postgraduate degree, a multidisciplinary wholly online program, designed to address the global shortage of oncologists by reducing geographical barriers to education.
The degree is open to clinicians from various backgrounds including medical practitioners, nurses and pharmacists and remains one of the only oncologist training pathways in the Pacific Nations.
University of Melbourne medical educator and radiation oncologist Associate Professor David Kok, Head of the CSU, said the degree allows clinicians to acquire advanced oncology knowledge while remaining in their workplaces and communities, directly strengthening local health systems.
“This is particularly important for Pacific-Island developing nations, where there’s a huge disparity of care due to a lack of pre-existing specialist oncology infrastructure,” Professor Kok said.
Since launching in 2019, 135 students have completed the Master of Cancer Sciences, many of whom have stayed in their communities.
Professor David Ashley, CEO of the VCCC Alliance, said every clinician trained stays in their region, directly strengthening health systems where they’re needed most.
“The Pacific Islands face a critical shortage of cancer specialists,” Professor Ashley said. “This award recognises that education delivered flexibly and locally can save lives.
Dr Andrew Soma became the first and only oncologist in the Solomon Islands after completing the Master of Cancer Sciences.
Dr Andrew Soma became the first and only oncologist in the Solomon Islands after completing the Master of Cancer Sciences while working full-time as a medical registrar at the National Referral Hospital in Honiara, which services a population of 700,000.
“Retaining medical staff is a challenge in the Solomon Islands due to a lack of professional development opportunities,” said Dr Soma.
“When Pacific Island clinicians move abroad to further their studies, many never return to their home countries. Being able to study entirely remotely is a gamechanger for upskilling the local cancer workforce.”
Professor Ashley said Dr Soma’s success demonstrates what’s possible when geographical barriers are removed.
“This program isn’t just about training individuals, it’s about transforming cancer care for entire communities,” he said.
Master of Cancer Sciences students gain specialised expertise in cancer care, research, prevention, and education.
“The medical industry is moving away from fragmented care,” said Dr Kok.
“As such, all clinicians should be equipped with the foundational knowledge needed to provide appropriate care for oncology patients regardless of whether they come from a medical, nursing or allied health background.
This modular degree teaches students everything from how to provide compassionate care and support to patients experiencing distress, to understanding the cancer-related factors that determine when and why a patient receives a particular treatment.”
Emeritus Professor Robert Goddard Fuller, Chair of the ASPIRE Board, said the CSU’s commitment to Pacific oncology workforce development addresses a critical regional need.
“The contribution to the training of the first oncologist in the Solomon Islands and the development of an oncology training pathway for Pacific Island clinicians were viewed as clear examples of socially accountable action with regional significance,” he said.
“The reviewers particularly valued the programme’s explicit intention to reduce the risk of workforce migration or ‘brain drain’.”
The award will be presented at the AMEE Conference in Vienna next month.
In 2025, the University of Melbourne established the Pacific Island Student Fee Remission program which covers 50 percent of tuition fees for eligible students studying the Master of Cancer Sciences, the Graduate Certificate in Cancer Sciences, or Specialist Certificate in Cancer Sciences.