Description/Overview: The National Council of State Boards of Nursing’s five year simulation study found that simulation based learning is as effective as clinical rotations in a hospital (Hayden, Smiley, Kardong-Edgren, & Jeffries, 2014). This finding provides an international evidence based solution to decreasing clinical sites for nursing students. Now, simulation based learning can be incorporated into the curricula of nursing programs throughout the world with confidence nursing students are learning. However, simulation based learning in nursing education is expensive and still does not answer the call to decrease discipline specific learning (Expert Panel, 2011). Learning that is restricted to one discipline does not encourage teamwork and inter-professional communication. But, a collaborative simulation center with partnerships with other disciplines can provide a rich learning environment for inter-professional learning and research. This symposium describes a successful model for a collaborative multi-disciplinary simulation center, its benefits and challenges. Over the last few years, initiatives have been developed that encourage and support inter-professional education and research and a standardized patient program. Finally, strategies for maintaining these initiatives in the face of administrative changes will be discussed. Expert Panel. (2011). Core competencies for inter-professional collaborative practice: Report of an expert panel. Washington, D.C.: Inter-professional Education Collaborative. World Health Organization. (2010). Framework for action on interprofessional education &collaborative practice. Geneva: World Health Organization. Retrieved from http://whqlibdoc.who.int/hq/2010/WHO_HRH_HPN_10.3_eng.pdf. Hayden, J.K., Smiley, R. a., Alexander, M., Kardong-Edgren, S., & Jeffries, P. R. (2014). The NCSBN national simulation study: A longitudinal, randomized, controlled study replacing clinical hours with simulation in pre-licensure nursing education. Journal of Nursing Regulation, 5(2), Supplement 1-66.