The Global Centre for Research and Training in Radiation Oncology partners innovation and collaborat

The Global Centre for Research and Training in Radiation Oncology partners innovation and collaboration for a better learning experience

The Global Centre for Research and Training in Radiation Oncology (GC-RTRO), which is located in New South Wales, Australia, is the first research and training facility of its kind for domestic and international clinicians and students. It aims to elevate the standard of cancer care through research and training by focusing on the creation of partnerships with local and global industries to amplify the quality and diversity of practice through multiple collaborative projects. The centre delivers a comprehensive curriculum in radiation therapy that allows students to work with advanced radiation oncology equipment and software. This training is focused on the leading radiation therapy techniques that are used in clinical settings, in order to ensure that graduates are confident and ready for real-world challenges and ultimately to enhance person-centred care and improve the patient experience.

The GC-RTRO features state-of-the-art teaching spaces that are designed to simulate a functioning radiation oncology service. Students and clinicians have access to the latest cancer treatment planning software, a simulation laboratory that contains eight individual bays, a virtual-reality training space with three-dimensional technology, a linear accelerator suite, and access to a CT scanner. Additionally, it features C-RAD positioning cameras and a sentinel camera. The photos show the facilities and equipment at GC-RTRO.

Linear accelerator.

Planning laboratory.

VERTUAL system.

CT laboratory.

Simulation laboratory.

To support industry needs, the centre’s laboratories contain outreach cameras that deliver virtual short courses and demonstration workshops that are accredited by CIFAL, the international training centre for local authorities, and the United Nations (UN). These initiatives are designed to upskill clinicians worldwide, with a focus on low-to-middle-income countries. Additionally, this advanced research and training hub provides university students with direct access to both international and national partners and hence creates valuable research and training opportunities.

In 2024, in collaboration with Elekta, the GC-RTRO launched a CIFAL/UN-accredited online short course for radiation oncology clinicians in Vietnam. This course is focused on the enhancement of skills in radiation safety and quality assurance. It is aligned with the sustainable development goals of ‘good health and wellbeing’ and ‘quality education’. The short course also supports the GC-RTRO’s vision of improving cancer care standards globally through targeted collaboration with our fellow clinicians.

The GC-RTRO is proud to be supported by a dedicated team of radiation therapists and academics. Under the leadership of director and associate professor Yolanda Surjan, each team member focuses on specific research areas. Research areas include radiation-therapist-led survivorship care in rural locations, barriers to accessing radiation oncology, emotional intelligence in allied health students, and the roles of exercise and nutrition for women with breast cancer. The team holds Advance Higher Education Fellowships from the Higher Education Academy in the UK and hence demonstrates their commitment to providing excellence in radiation oncology education to both undergraduate students and clinicians.

The team is committed to ensuring quality research in radiation therapy, and students are encouraged and supported to present their research outputs at various conferences. Furthermore, with the support of industry and philanthropic donors, a number of our students are supported by generous scholarships. These support research projects, attendance at workshops and conferences, and rural students and those who experience financial difficulty. Recently, thanks to one of our wonderful donor (Crestani Scholarships), we established a Women in Leadership Scholarship that would aid the development of our future leaders and in keeping with our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion within the centre.

To address the ongoing shortage of radiation therapists, the GC-RTRO has been actively promoting both the centre and the radiation therapy profession. To date, 3,400+ high-school students have toured the centre’s facilities, experienced the remarkable state-of-the-art spaces and engaged with our highly motivated teaching staff. As a result, enrolment in 2025 has increased by 75%. This increase will, in time, provide much-needed graduates to help ease the current radiotherapist shortage in Australia and beyond.

Looking to the future, the team at GC-RTRO is committed to increasing its contributions and partnerships by providing additional online short courses, collaborating further with industry and colleagues, disseminating important research and continuing to deliver quality education to undergraduate and postgraduate students.

COLLABORATE WITH US

The GC-RTRO’s vision is to elevate the standard of cancer care globally through research, education and collaboration. We welcome new partnerships and projects that will foster collaboration that will meet industry and clinical requirements. If you are interested in becoming a clinical collaborator to contribute your clinical expertise to the GC-RTRO, or are interested in research or some form of collaboration, please reach out to: Yolanda.Surjan@newcastle.edu.au