Zhanming Liang

Dr Liang is an internationally recognised scholar and academic leader in health systems management, with a distinguished career spanning research, education, and strategic leadership. Her work has significantly shaped the development of health management competencies, digital health transformation, and workforce capability across Australia and the Asia-Pacific region. Her work bridges academic excellence with real-world impact, positioning her as a thought leader in health systems transformation. She leads the Managerial Competency Assessment Partnership (MCAP) Program, which developed the widely adopted Managerial Competency Assessment Tool. This tool has been implemented in over 185 healthcare organisations across eight countries, informing strategic planning, leadership development, and workforce transformation.

With over AUD $1 million in research funding and more than 90 books, book chapters and peer-reviewed publications achieved within two decades, Dr Liang’s scholarship is distinguished by its translational impact, global relevance and the editorial leadership roles in several Q1 journals. Her textbook, Project Management in Health and Community Services, is widely adopted in academic and professional settings and has been translated into Mandarin, further extending its international reach. 

Dr Liang has demonstrated sustained excellence in postgraduate education and supervision, mentoring PhD candidates across Australia, the Pacific, and internationally. She leads the National Commissioning Training Program (Australia), a landmark initiative commissioned by the PHN National Cooperative and the Department of Health, Disability and Aging, delivered to staff across all 31 PHNs. This program positions James Cook University as a national leader in health commissioning education. Dr Liang’s academic leadership includes serving as Associate Dean, Research Education for both the College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences (2021–2024) and the College of Business, Law and Governance, Academic Head of the Discipline of Governance, Management and Tourism, and also President of the Society for Health Administration Program in Education (SHAPE), leading transformation in health leadership and management training since 2018. 

Dr Liang holds visiting and honorary appointments at universities in Hong Kong, Thailand and mainland China, and frequently delivers invited lectures to senior health leaders across the region. Looking ahead, Dr Liang aims to further advance international health systems reform through strategic partnerships, collaborative research, and leadership in digital health and AI-enabled workforce development.

Dr. Liang was honored with the La Trobe University Chancellor's Award in 2021 for her outstanding efforts during COVID-19 Pandemic.

Industry Project Grant since 2023

• 2025 - $200,000 'Developing a National Health Commissioning Training program' from National Primary Health Cooperative.
• 2024 - $46,654 'Developing a model for multidisciplinary team-based care for General Practice (Phase one)'
• 2024 - $34,555 'Building PHN's capacity in leading and managing health commissioning' from Hunter New England and Central Coast Primary Health Networks
• 2023 - $23,000 'Building hospital leadership and management capacity' from Jianghai District Health Department
• 2023 - $45,000 'Developing leadership and management capacity in the Veterinary Industry - a pilot study' from five veterinary groups
• 2023 - $5,000 'Supporting emergency team effectiveness' from JCU Vet

• Project planning and evaluation
• Management Competency development
• Health management workforce training and development
• Health service management training and research workforce - challenges and sustainability
• Professional identify of medial workforce
• Quality and Safety in health services
• Project planning and evaluation
• Management capacity building in developing countries

• Leadership development
• Management competency and management capacity building
• Planning and evaluation
• Project Management 
• Performance management 
• Health Care Quality and Safety
• Health systems