The International Health Program at the MSHR was established in 1996 within the Infectious Diseases Division. In the 10 years since then, the program has attracted more than $10 million from national and international funding agencies, including the National Institutes of Health (USA), Wellcome Trust (UK), AusAID, World Health Organisation, and the National Health and Medical Research Council.

The Program has made important advances in malaria and tuberculosis control in Indonesia and Timor Leste. A large number of Indonesian, East Timorese and other international students have undertaken postgraduate training and research degrees through the MSHR and CDU. An additional component of the MSHR’s international work is a large-scale collaboration in the Pacific, centred around child health, rheumatic heart disease control, and vaccine trials.