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Duration: Certification: Languages: Additional Resources: Related Resources: QUESTION SETTING AND STUDY DESIGN |
About this course
This introductory course supports healthcare professionals and research teams to understand the core skills needed to plan, conduct, and use health research during outbreaks and routine healthcare settings. It explains when routine care or public health activity becomes research, how to develop a strong research question and protocol, and how to prepare for ethical, safe, and practical study implementation. The course also introduces different types of outbreak evidence, including social science, epidemiology, laboratory studies, genomics, and clinical trials. A key message is that preparedness begins before emergencies: teams that build research capability through everyday health challenges are better equipped to respond rapidly and safely when new threats emerge.
This course is part of the Pandemic Preparedness Curriculum, and supports you to build your research skills and gain recognition as you progress. Join Stage 1 and complete any foundational course to achieve your Certificate of Enrolment today! Register here →
Objectives
Upon completion of this course, learners are expected to:
- Identify and investigate important health research questions.
- Plan and prepare a research study.
- Conduct research ethically and responsibly.
- Generate and use evidence to improve health outcomes and strengthen outbreak preparedness.
Target Audience
This course is intended for health professionals, early-career researchers, students, emerging research leaders, research teams, and others who contribute to health research or use evidence to improve health practice. It is suitable for learners across different roles, disciplines, and healthcare settings, including those with no previous research experience. The course is especially relevant to individuals and teams seeking to strengthen locally led research capacity for everyday health challenges, outbreaks, and other public health emergencies.
Acknowledgements
Author
Professor Trudie Lang
Director, The Global Health Network, University of Oxford
Editors
Dr Elizabeth Allen
Director of Postgraduate Diploma in Global Health Research, The Global Health Network, University of Oxford
Alun Davies
Senior Programme Manager, Community Engagement in Global Health Research, The Global Health Network, University of Oxford
Gloria Rukomeza
Project Coordinator, The Global Health Network, University of Oxford
Dr Hamsadvani Kuganantham
Global Health Research Manager, The Global Health Network, University of Oxford
Instructional Design and Course Coordination
Kehkashan Shah
Training Coordinator, The Global Health Network, University of Oxford
Course Production
Lauren Whelan
Course Coordinator, Postgraduate Diploma in Global Health Research, The Global Health Network, University of Oxford
Luke Kim
Team Assistant, The Global Health Network, University of Oxford
Graphic Design
Steffani Herring
Digital Content Development Officer, The Global Health Network, University of Oxford
Peer Reviewers
Dr Rachel Hounsell
Senior Researcher in Infectious Disease Modelling & Health Economics | Senior Teaching & Research Associate (MSc IHTM), NDM Centre for Global Health Research, University of Oxford
Mrs Caitlin MacIntyre
Laboratory Manager, Emerging Viral Threats, One Health Surveillance and Vaccines (EViTOH), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Witwatersrand
Dr Nchangwi Syntia Munung
Bioethics Researcher, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town
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This course was produced by The Global Health Network
