Social and Public Health Economics Research Group (SPHERe)

The formation of the original Social and Public Health Economics Research Group (SPHERe) in August 1998 stemmed from a common recognition of the importance of the social context in determining good health and ameliorating bad health. SPHERe aims to develop economic methods and ways of thinking within applied interdisciplinary public health settings that recognise this 'social' starting point. The formation of SPHERe also represented an important opportunity to consolidate and advance the expertise of a group of health economists: Gavin Mooney, Alan Shiell, Glenn Salkeld, Stephen Jan and Virginia Wiseman.

In 2001 SPHERe, and its Director Gavin Mooney, moved from the original location at the University of Sydney to Curtin University, offering a three-tiered coursework program comprised of the Graduate Certificate in Health Economics, the Graduate Diploma of Health Economics and the Master of Health Economics.

In 2007, all course offerings were moved to the University of Cape Town, South Africa with Gavin officially retiring from Curtin University in October 2008.