The SPHeRE Programme 2025 call for projects is now open. The process for the call for projects is outlined below.
PIs are invited to submit a project for consideration in order to fund one PhD Scholar for four years full time.
The projects are peer-reviewed by academics in each of SPHeRE’s partner HEIs. The highest scored projects are reviewed by members of the SPHeRE Leadership Team and the top scoring projects, which are aligned to the SPHeRE Research Priorities, are chosen. Information on the successful projects will be added to the SPHeRE website and potential Scholars may apply to a maximum of three projects of their choosing.
After an initial screening, chosen Scholars will be interviewed by a panel consisting of members of the SPHeRE Leadership Team and six successful Scholars will be allocated to six projects and awarded a HRB SPHeRE funded Scholarship.
We strongly recommend reading the SPHeRE Information Package which fully outlines the recruitment process, and the PhD Journey.
PIs submitting a project must be based at one of the following institutions:
- Dublin City University (DCU)
- National University of Ireland, Maynooth (MU)
- RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences
- Technological University Dublin
- Trinity College Dublin (TCD)
- University College Cork (UCC)
- University College Dublin (UCD)
- University of Galway
- University of Limerick (UL)
The PI and Primary Supervisor (in many cases this may be the same person) must have a contract of employment with one of the above institutions covering the duration of the four year PhD. Applicants are advised to check the HEI regulations where they are based to ensure they meet the regulations to be a primary supervisor.
Please note that those who are currently a primary supervisor of a SPHeRE Funded Scholar are not eligible to apply as the primary supervisor but may form part of the supervisor team.
Applications from early and mid-career researchers (including researchers and academics) are also strongly encouraged, in addition to those with longer track records. For the purposes of this call, early and mid-career researchers are those who:
- Possess a PhD
- Have at least four years active post PhD research experience
- Do not have more than 10 years post-PhD excluding maternity/paternity leave
- Have not have acted or are not acting as the primary supervisor for a PhD Scholar, but must have some previous supervisory experience other than as primary supervisor for a PhD Scholar.
The full-time 4 year structured PhD Programme features:
- 6 taught modules completed in the first year of the Programme*
- Opportunities for multidisciplinary research
- Supervision by internationally renowned Principal Investigators
In addition, SPHeRE HRB funded Scholars benefit from:
- 8-week specialist rotation in Irish health related agencies in the first year
- Placement with a prestigious overseas agency to further PhD project development in the second or third year
- Professional skills training allowance
- Travel funds to national training days and international conferences
- Annual stipend, plus laptop computer, plus PhD fees
This Programme provides excellent training for Scholars in core health services and population health research skills.
*It is important that PIs/Employers/Other organisations enrolling a Scholar on the SPHeRE Programme recognise that the workload in Year 1 of the SPHeRE Programme is significant and includes compulsory weekly teaching, module assignments, compulsory workshops, and a thesis presentation day that takes place at the end of the year.
The actual PhD research does not begin until summer of the first year. The logic for this is that the Scholars are much better equipped to do their PhD upon completion of the six modules and thesis presentations, and are more likely to deliver their PhD on time and at a higher quality.
Projects submitted must fall under one of the following areas:
- Health policy and systems research
Health policy and systems research (HPSR) is an emerging field that seeks to understand and improve how societies organize themselves in achieving collective health goals, and how different actors interact in the policy and implementation processes to contribute to policy outcomes. It focuses primarily upon the more upstream aspects of health, organizations and policies, rather than clinical or preventive services or basic scientific research (for example into cell or molecular structures). It covers a wide range of questions − from financing to governance − and issues surrounding implementation of services and delivery of care in both the public and private sectors.
- Health service and technology evaluation
Health service evaluation seeks to assess how well a service is achieving its intended aims. It is undertaken to benefit the people using a particular healthcare service and is designed and conducted with the sole purpose of defining or judging the current service. Health technology assessment is the systematic evaluation of properties, effects, and/or impacts of health care technologies.
- Population health research
Population health research describes the health outcomes of groups of people and analyses the determinants of those health outcomes.
Submit Project
Please contact sphereprogramme@gmail.com if you have any questions.
PIs or Funding Bodies (such as charities, philanthropic organisations or employers) that already have funding for a Scholar and would like to enrol them on the SPHeRE programme can contact SPHeRE Programme Manager Katherine Walsh katherinewalsh@rcsi.com
No additional fees are payable to the SPHeRE Programme.