The Joan Donley Midwifery Research Collaboration (JDMRC):

• Provides liaison between the various pre-registration and post-registration midwifery education institutions to maintain an active and up-to-date database of midwifery student research activities
• Develops and maintains a national database of completed midwifery research in New Zealand
• Promotes collaboration and facilitates liaison between midwifery researchers
• Promotes and facilitates collaborative multi-disciplinary research projects between midwives and other organisations such as consumers, healthcare service providers and educational institutions
• Encourages researchers to acknowledge any support received from the JDMRC
• Encourages educational institutions and DHBs to recognise the benefit of collaboration with the JDMRC and consider ways to formalise this collaborative relationship
• Develops and maintains a database of midwives qualified to supervise research and examine research at postgraduate level
• Provides advice to the College on research matters
• Provides advice to midwife researchers on research issues and preparation of reports for publication in the New Zealand College of Midwives Journal
• Develops and updates JDMRC page on the College website
• Develops resources for midwife researchers in relation to sources of research funding
• In collaboration with the College, runs a biennial National Research Forum on the alternative year to the College. This forum is to support and promote postgraduate midwifery researchers, to develop expertise, to support a research culture in DHBs and to provide a forum for developing robust research.
• In collaboration with the College continues development of the midwifery reference library as a resource for midwives
• Identifies research needs for midwifery and maternity in New Zealand and encourages researchers to undertake projects to address these needs
• Advises on, or manages, the College research grants
• Employs researchers and undertakes research projects on behalf of the College
• Makes funding applications
• Undertakes contract work in relation to research or audit projects for other agencies
• Facilitates collaborative international midwifery research
• Collaborates with DHBs on research directions/activities

In the long term the JDMRC aims to become a recognised focus for midwifery research in New Zealand.