- Dates
- 23 - 27 March 2026
- Location
- Online
- Schedule
- Monday - Friday
- Mode
- Online - synchronous
- Length
- 5 days
Registration for the 2026 International Spring School in Global Health is now closed.
The online ISGlobal International Spring School in Global Health 2026 aims to support access to education and learning throughout life, promoting innovation and knowledge transfer through high quality, inclusive, and equitable educational programs. It represents our long-term commitment to global health equity as promoted by the 2030 Agenda.
This training targets postgraduate and Master's degree students, doctoral candidates, and researchers, as well as other professionals with an interest in Global Health. The sessions are synchronous, participatory, and interactive, and use examples and cases of success relevant to diverse parts of the globe.
Students who attend a minimum of 80% of the online sessions of a Module and pass a multiple choice quiz will be awarded a Certificate of Participation. Attendance is determined from Zoom participant reports.
Learning Objectives
The Spring School is designed to empower postgraduate students, researchers, and young professionals to:
- Explore and acquire knowledge in current Global Health issues.
- Describe approaches, concepts and frameworks used in Global Health studies and interventions.
- Apply integrated knowledge to solve Global Health issues.
- Apply key methodologies used in Global Health to better design, conduct, analyse and interpret research studies.
- Expand personal and professional networks through contact with colleagues from around the world.
Modules and Schedule
Modules in the same time slot are held in parallel. Therefore, applicants can apply for a maximum of three modules in total, one per time slot:
- Time Slot 1: from 09:00 to 11:00 h CET (Teaching Language: English)
- Time Slot 2: from 12:00 to 14:00 h CET (Teaching Language: English)
- Time Slot 3: from 14:30 to 16:30 h CET (Teaching Language: English)
Module Details
Module 1. Health impact assessment: principles and practices (WAITLIST OPENED - maximum enrolment)
Time slot 1 · Teaching language: English
- Coordinators: Davide Rasella and Natalie Mueller
- Other lecturers: -
- Aim: This module aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the main theoretical and methodological approaches for health impact assessment (HIA) and health impact modelling, applied to different topical areas, including health systems research and environmental health.
- Learning Objectives: Upon completion of this module, participants should be able to: (1) Explain the underlying assumptions and principles of HIA and health impact modelling; (2) Identify strengths and limitations of each HIA method, and be able to select the most appropriate HIA technique, according to study objectives, data, and conditions; and (3) Develop basic HIA and correctly interpret their results, rather than focus on the mathematical derivation of the methods.
- Time slot 1: from 9 to 11 h CET
- Teaching language: English
Module 2. Understanding and assessing the impact of research in society
Time slot 1 · Teaching language: English
- Coordinators: Adelaida Sarukhan and Nabila Mella
- Other lecturers: Anne-Sophie Gresle, Clàudia García-Vaz
- Aim: In an era of increasing demand for accountability and societal relevance, research institutions face growing pressure to demonstrate the tangible benefits of their work. Research impact—defined as changes beyond academia, including in policy, practice, health outcomes, and behaviour--remains a contested yet essential concept. Too often, research impact is understood superficially or reduced to bibliometrics, leaving researchers and support teams without the tools to engage with it meaningfully. This course aims to demystify the concept of “impact” by providing participants with a shared conceptual foundation and practical guidance on how to identify achieved or potential impact, how to plan, track, and document impact.
- Learning Objectives: Upon completion of this module, participants should be able to: (1) Identify different types of research impact, pathways, and evidence, beyond academic metrics; (2) Design impact strategies that align with funders' expectations while maintaining research integrity;(3) Apply engagement and advocacy approaches (community participation, public engagement, policy influence) and other strategies to maximise impact; and (4) Communicate impact effectively and ethically, using storytelling and evidence to craft compelling impact narratives.
- Time slot 1: from 9 to 11 h CET
- Teaching language: English
Module 3. Intersectionality and gender: advancing equity in health research (WAITLIST OPENED - maximum enrolment)
Time slot 2 · Teaching language: English
- Coordinator: Lauren Fromont
- Other lecturers: Francisca Casas-Cordero, Clàudia Fernández, Nabila Mella, Ethel Sequeira, and Megan Naidoo.
- Aim: The “Intersectionality and Gender: Advancing Equity in Health Research” module addresses a critical mandate in the field: ensuring that health and biomedical research yields equitable benefits for all populations. As achieving health equity becomes increasingly challenging, this program provides a dedicated space for critical reflection and dialogue. Students will explore and reflect on foundational concepts from the social sciences and learn to mitigate gender and intersectional biases within biomedical datasets.
- Learning Objectives: Upon completion of this module, participants should be able to: (1) Critically evaluate systems of power that underlie Global Health determinants; (2) Describe and apply introductory concepts of equity and ethics in public health research, from protocol development to impact; (3) Identify the main drivers of gender impact on health, using an intersectional lens; and (4) Handle a set of tools to adopt a gender integrative approach in health research, avoiding common pitfalls.
- Time slot 2: from 12.00 to 14.00 h CET
- Teaching language: English
Module 4. Point of care (PoC) tests for global health challenges (WAITLIST OPENED - maximum enrolment)
Time slot 2 · Teaching language: English
- Coordinator: Bàrbara Baro and Daniel Camprubí-Ferrer
- Other lecturers: Quique Bassat, Juan Leva, Jose Muñoz Gutierrez, Denise Naniche, Claudio Parolo, Julia Pedreira, and María Isabel Pividori.
- Aim: This course introduces the principles and practical challenges of biosensor and point-of-care diagnostic development in Global Health. Students will learn how to translate real clinical and global health needs into robust biosensor designs, evaluate assay performance, and critically interpret experimental data. Through real-world case studies, the course highlights key aspects in test optimization, common failure modes, and emerging trends such as AI-assisted decision-making in diagnostics.
- Learning Objectives: Upon completion of this module, participants should be able to: (1) Explain the fundamental components and working principles of biosensors and point-of-care tests; (2) Translate a real-world use case into appropriate biosensor design choices, including assay format and bioreceptor selection; (3) Design a minimal but robust experimental and validation plan for biosensor development;(4) Evaluate and interpret biosensor performance using standard metrics; (5) Critically assess data and performance claims, identifying common failure modes and over-interpretation; and (6) Describe how biosensors are applied in clinical and global health contexts, including emerging roles of AI in decision-making.
- Time slot 2: from 12.00 to 14.00 h CET
- Teaching language: English
Module 5. Climate change, sustainable work practices, and green jobs: research methods in occupational health (WAITLIST OPENED - maximum enrolment)
Time slot 3 · Teaching language: English
- Coordinator: Michelle Turner
- Other lecturers: Irina Guseva Canu, Anna Brugulat, Xavier Basagaña, Karin Broberg, Alexander Gorny, Henrik Kolstad, Alex Burdorf, Anjoeka Pronk, Neil Pearce, and Marouane Laabbas el Guennouni.
- Aim: This introductory course is addressed to researchers and practitioners in public health, epidemiology, occupational health and safety, and policy makers with an interest in how work environments are rapidly changing due to climate change, implementation of new sustainable working practices, and work in green jobs and their potential impact on mental and physical health of workers. The course will focus on occupational epidemiological research methods applied in the field, including different epidemiological study designs, occupational exposure assessment, designing co-created intervention studies in priority industries with workers and industries using participatory based approaches, current debates and defining future global occupational health research needs.
- Learning objectives: Upon successful completion of the modules, participants should be able to: (1) Explain core concepts regarding how climate change, sustainable work practices, and green jobs may impact mental and physical health of workers; (2) Discuss different occupational epidemiological research methods applied in the field, with a particular focus on participatory based approaches regarding designing co-created intervention studies with workers and industries; and (3) Recognise future global occupational health research needs.
- Time slot 3: de 14.30 a 16.30 h CET
- Teaching language: English
Module 6. All-hazards preparedness, response, recovery and resilience from the perspective of health systems (WAITLIST OPENED - maximum enrolment)
Time slot 3 · Teaching language: English
- Coordinators: Elizabeth Diago Navarro
- Other lecturers: Antoni Plasència, Gonzalo Fanjul, Claudia Garcia-Vaz, and Jon Cylus.
- Aim: This course is designed for biomedical science professionals, epidemiologists, physicians, and public health practitioners seeking to gain expertise in the preparedness, response, recovery, and resilience regarding crises and emergencies stemming from all-hazards, from a health systems perspective. By the end of the course, students will have gained an understanding of how health systems prepare for future crises and the vital role that science and evidence generation play in fostering resilience.
- Learning objectives: Upon successful completion of the modules, participants should be able to: (1) Describe the role of health systems in preparedness and response to different types of risks; (2) Describe the various components required for preparedness and response plans; and (3) Identify and understand international strategies and tools aimed at improving preparedness and response.
- Time slot 3: de 14.30 a 16.30 h CET
- Teaching language: English
Requirements
The Spring School is open to postgraduate and Master's students, doctoral candidates and researchers, or other professionals interested in Global Health.
Candidate must have:
- A Bachelor or Master's Degree in epidemiology, computer science, bioinformatics, public health, global health, environmental sciences, biostatistics, biomedicine, or a related discipline.
- Advanced level of English.
- Any module-specific requirements (see the module descriptions)
Application
Interested candidates must complete the application form and include a current C.V. Application deadline: 20 February 2026.
The revision of applications and notification of admissions will be carried out on a rolling basis. Once the maximum number of participants for a module has been reached, a waiting list will be opened.
Fees
This activity is offered free of charge to all participants thanks to support from our Centre of Excellence Severo Ochoa Programme, grant CEX2023-001290-S funded by MCIN/AEI/ 10.13039/501100011033.
We are pleased to invite participants in the 2026 International Spring School in Global Health to join in a series of special events. Details to be provided.
