Professor Ashley Bloomfield says his new job will help improve a range of social and economic outcomes in Aotearoa with a strong focus on equity. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
Former director-general of health Ashley Bloomfield is joining the University of Auckland as a professor.
The university said Bloomfield would be the inaugural chair of a new Public Policy Impact Institute in its School of Population Health.
The institute would help translate university research into policies that directly impacted communities, it said.
Vice-Chancellor Professor Dawn Freshwater said the new role was a natural progression for Professor Bloomfield following his extensive public health career culminating in his leadership during the Covid-19 pandemic.
"Professor Bloomfield brings enormous experience to the university. We look forward to him joining the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences and also using his public policy expertise to build our new Public Policy Impact Institute."
Professor Bloomfield said he was very pleased to be joining the team at Waipapa Taumata Rau and was looking forward to working alongside colleagues in the School of Population Health.
"The proposed Public Policy Impact Institute is a great opportunity to strengthen the link between the university's world-class research and the development and implementation of policy. The intent is clear - to help improve a range of social and economic outcomes in Aotearoa with a strong focus on equity."
Professor Bloomfield graduated from the University of Auckland in 1997 with a Masters of Public Health with first-class honours. He has worked at the World Health Organisation in Geneva, is a previous chief executive at the then Capital & Coast and Hutt Valley district health boards and ended his tenure as Director General of Health last July.
Prof Bloomfield will start the job at the end of January.