Professor Julia Downing earned her nursing degree from the University of Wales College of Medicine in 1991 followed by a Diploma in Cancer Nursing (1994), a Masters in Medical Science in Clinical Oncology (1997), a Professional Certificate in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (2000) and her PhD in 2006, completing the first PhD level studies on palliative care in sub-Saharan Africa.

Professor Julia Downing currently serves as the Executive Director of the International Children’s Palliative Care Network (ICPCN).

Professor Downing is an experienced palliative care nurse, educationalist, researcher and advocate. She has been working in palliative care for 29 years, with 18 of those pioneering work internationally in Uganda, Africa, Eastern Europe and globally, developing palliative care services for adults and children. Before her executive director role, she held the position of Director of Education and Research for the ICPCN. Over the past 20 years she has worked alongside the World Health Organization on numerous projects in an advisory capacity, currently being part of the Guidelines Development Group on ensuring balance for access to opioids. She has a particular interest in the role of nurses in palliative care and children’s palliative care. In her work globally she tries to encourage and empower nurses, and has led work on leadership in nursing and midwifery in Uganda.