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Photo of Professor Jennifer Watts

Professor

Jennifer Watts

Head of School HSD

Faculty of Health/School of Health and Social Development/Institute for Health Transformation

Orcid identifier0000-0001-8095-8638
  • Head of School HSD
    Faculty of Health/School of Health and Social Development/Institute for Health Transformation
  • +61 3 924 46478 (Work)
  • Melbourne Burwood Campus, 221 Burwood Highway, Burwood, Victoria 3125

BIO

Jennifer Watts is Professor and Head of the School of Health and Social
Development at Deakin University. Jenny joined the School of Health and Social
Development in 2013 to establish Deakin's Master of Health Economics, was
appointed Associate Head of School International in 2018, and Head of School
in 2020. Over the past 20 years Jenny has established a strong record in
health economics in both teaching and research. She leads a research team
[Chronic Disease Management and Hospital
Care](https://iht.deakin.edu.au/deakin-health-economics/stream/economics-of-
chronic-disease-management-and-hospital-care-research/) in [Deakin's Institute
for Health Transformation](https://iht.deakin.edu.au/) exploring the economic
consequences of chronic disease with a particular focus on costing, efficiency
and measuring outcomes, including quality of life. Jenny has extensive
experience in economic analysis alongside clinical trials, especially for
complex interventions and healthcare services, including chronic disease
management programs. Her commitment to research in health economics has
emphasized policy-important questions that can be translated to the delivery
of efficient and outcomes focused healthcare programs for people with chronic
disease.
Jenny is committed to health professional education and research with real
world application to improve the health and well-being of individuals and
communities. Jenny's teaching is informed by research and practice, using
contemporary examples to expose students to current issues in the health
system and encouraging them to explore alternative options for practice and
health policy. In teaching health economics Jenny believes it is important to
illustrate key concepts with 'real world' applied examples and convey to
students how their observations from the health sector can be explained by
economics. This provides currency in health economics education and engenders
the interest of students who are then able to incorporate health economic
principles into their professional work, research and learning.

DEAKIN UNIVERSITY CURRENT APPOINTMENT

  • Head of School HSD
    Deakin University, School of Health and Social Development

ACADEMIC POSITIONS

  • Head of School, Health and Social Development
    Deakin University, Geelong, Australia27 Apr 2020 - present

DEGREES

  • GCHE Exempt
    Deakin University

FIELDS OF RESEARCH (2020)

  • Health services and systems
  • Clinical sciences
  • Public health
  • Nursing
  • Allied health and rehabilitation science

AREA/FACULTY

  • Faculty of Health

DEPARTMENT/SCHOOL/INSTITUTE

  • School of Health and Social Development

STRATEGIC RESEARCH AND INNOVATION CENTRE

  • Institute for Health Transformation