The Council's purpose is to lead and represent nursing and midwifery education and research in Australian and New Zealand higher education institutions that offer undergraduate and postgraduate programs leading to qualification as a registered nurse or registered midwife.

The Council of Deans of Nursing and Midwifery (Australia & New Zealand) (CDNM) (or the ‘Council’), formerly known as the Australian Council of Deans of Nursing (ACDN), is the peak organisation that represents universities that offer undergraduate and postgraduate programs in nursing and midwifery throughout Australia and New Zealand. It aims to develop and nurture leadership in nursing and midwifery education, advocate for the nursing and midwifery professions by shaping education, research and innovation for professional effectiveness in Australia and New Zealand, represent providers of higher education for nurses and midwives to develop, sustain and advance both professions, and lead collaboration and consultation on behalf of the nursing and midwifery professions to ensure the best conditions for nursing and midwifery education, research, regulation, and future workforce needs.