Our strategic direction defines where we want to be in the future. Our strategy is anchored in four strategic focus areas that direct how we work, where we prioritise effort, and how we create impact. Together, they provide clarity of intent, each defining a distinct objective, while reinforcing a single, integrated direction for the College over the next five years.

Across all four focus areas, the Indigenous Object provides a unifying foundation, shaping how priorities are set and how work is designed and delivered. In doing so, it embeds equity, cultural safety, and Indigenous leadership as integral to the RACP’s work, rather than an independent consideration.

See the 2026-2030 Strategic Direction on a page (PDF). The full 2026-2030 Strategic Direction will be made available on 4 February 2026.

Four strategic focus areas | Ngā arotahi rautaki e Whā 

Focus area one
Advancing lifelong learning and professional support | Te whakatairanga i te ako tōmua ki te mutunga me te tautoko ngaio

We enable members to find genuine value and pride in training and Fellowship through culturally safe support, high-quality learning, clear recognition, tailored benefits, and meaningful connections at every stage of their career.

What success looks like

• Members report a stronger and more consistent experience of training, Fellowship and professional support across their career.
• Members increasingly recognise clear value for money in learning, recognition and support that reflects their needs and contexts.
• Members report that the RACP meaningfully supports their professional growth, confidence and career progression.
• Members experience culturally safe training, assessment and professional pathways that support success, belonging and pride in Fellowship.

Focus area two
Simplifying and connecting the College | Te whakamāmā me te whakakotahi i te Kāreti

We build a seamlessly connected College where members and employees experience coordinated, culturally safe services and streamlined processes that enable equity, inclusion, and consistency. We focus resources on what matters most to members and delivers the greatest impact.

What success looks like

• Members experience the College as easier to deal with, more consistent, and more responsive across their interactions.
• Members spend less time navigating processes and systems, and more time focused on training, practice and supervision.
• Digital services are intuitive, accessible and reliable, reducing effort and improving confidence in how the College supports them.
• The College delivers a clearer portfolio of products and services that demonstrably add value to members’ professional lives.
• Culturally informed practices are embedded in everyday processes, improving safety, equity and experience for Indigenous members and communities.
• Employees are engaged, supported and enabled to deliver consistent, high-quality service, strengthening trust and continuity for members.

Focus area three
Enabling thriving physicians and communities | Te whakaahei i ngā rata me ngā hapori kia angitu, kia toitū

We help physicians thrive in safe, inclusive workplaces. Grounded in cultural integrity and equity, our advocacy strengthens workforce planning, improves conditions, supports wellbeing, and upholds the values and beliefs of the communities we serve.

What success looks like

• Members have greater confidence that the College is advocating effectively on the issues that most affect their working lives.
• Advocacy is targeted, evidence informed and visibly influencing workforce planning, workplace safety and health system reform.
• Members experience more practical, relevant support for wellbeing, safe practice and inclusive workplaces, aligned to real pressures across career stages.
• The College plays a recognised leadership role in strengthening Indigenous physician pathways and culturally safe models of care.
• Measurable improvements are evident in physician wellbeing, workplace culture, and priority community health outcomes over time.

Focus area four
Growing influence and building a sustainable future | Te whakapiki i te mana whakahaere me te hanga i tētahi anamata toitū

We expand our influence and reach through purposeful partnerships, fostering inclusive collaboration and delivering initiatives that create lasting value for members and the communities they serve, while ensuring sustainable growth through diversified revenue.

What success looks like

• Strategic partnerships expand the College’s influence with governments, health services and communities, amplifying the voice of physicians.
• The College is recognised as a credible, trusted and inclusive leader in health, workforce and education policy.
• The College is financially stable and resilient, enabling consistent investment in member services, advocacy and professional support.
• Diversified revenue strengthens independence and reduces pressure on member fees over time.
• Investment decisions increasingly demonstrate clear benefit for members and communities, grounded in equity, cultural integrity and Indigenous rights.

Māori cultural element the Tāniko pattern was designed by Kaaterina Kerekere of KE Design for the RACP. The foundation of this design comes from Waharua kōpito tāniko motif. This stylised version of the pattern refers to the notion of transformation and change that occurs at such meeting points. For the RACP it symbolises our trans-Tasman training relationship, connecting the Indigenous peoples of two nations and bringing together medical specialists with patients.

Indigenous Australia cultural elements designed by Riki Salam of We are 27. Developed for the RACP as part of the commissioned artwork Healing Place.