SPHeRE Programme Call for Projects 2025.

SPHeRE Programme Call for Projects 2025
PIs are invited to submit a project for consideration in order to fund a PhD Scholar for four years full time.

The projects will be peer-reviewed by academics in each of the SPHeRE Programme's partner HEIs. The highest scored projects will be reviewed and six of the top scoring projects, which are aligned to the SPHeRE research priorities, will be chosen. Information on the successful projects will be added to the SPHeRE website and potential Scholars may apply to a maximum of three project(s) of their choosing.

Scholars will then 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.

PIs submitting a project must be based at one of the following institutions. As the SPHeRE Programme runs for four years the PI and Primary Supervisor would need to have a contract of employment with one of the HEIs covering the duration of the four year PhD :
- 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)
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.
Please check the HEI regulations where you are based to ensure you meet the regulations to be a primary supervisor.

Further details on the full recruitment process can be found in the SPHeRE Information Package

Please fill out the application form below. At the end, you will be asked to attach your CV in either PDF or Word format.

Please do not refresh the page while completing your application, as this may result in your information being lost.

For more information about the Programme, SPHeRE Research Priorities, to which projects must be linked, and the application process, please visit our website: www.sphereprogramme.ie

Due to the high volume of projects expected individual feedback on projects that that are not selected will not be possible.

The closing date for applications is Monday 20th January 2025 at 12 noon.

The SPHeRE Programme will begin on Wednesday 24th September 2025.
Personal Details
Name*

First NameLast Name
Email*
example@example.com
Phone Number*

Area CodePhone Number
Institution or Organisation*

Dublin City University (DCU)National University of Ireland, Maynooth (MU)RCSI University of Medicine and Health SciencesTechnological University DublinTrinity College Dublin (TCD)University College Cork (UCC)University College Dublin (UCD)University of GalwayUniversity of Limerick (UL)
Department*
Please indicate your area of research*

Applied Social ScienceBiostatisticsCommunity HealthDentistryEpidemiologyHealth EconomicsHealth GeographyHealth PolicyMedicineNursing/MidwiferyOccupational TherapyPharmacyPhysiotherapyPublic HealthSociologySpeech TherapyOther
Are you applying as an early/mid career researcher?*

YesNo
Project Area
Please choose which area the project falls under (definitions are included below)*

Health policy and systems researchHealth service and technology evaluationPopulation health research
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.
Please choose which SPHeRE Research Priority this project is linked to (Details on SPHeRE Research Priorities can be found on the SPHeRE website. A link is included at the top of this form)*

Employ evidence-informed approaches to mitigate the impact of inequities on healthStrengthen health systems to improve population health and provide quality and timely integrated careProvide better access to and outcomes from health and social servicesExamine population mental health, access to and outcomes from mental health servicesDevelop robust data infrastructure in IrelandExamine current health and health system challenges such as climate, demographic and migrationExamine difficulties in recruitment and retention of health workforceStrengthen analysis of, and for, policy in population health and health systems transformation
Project Details
Project title*
Principal Investigator (PI)*
Primary Supervisor (if different from PI)
Supervisory Team (If your project is chosen this will also be added to the website)*
Please outline your supervision plan and support for the potential Scholar*

0/300
Overall project aim and specific objectives*

0/200
Project Background and rationale*

0/500
Project Methodology*

0/800
Innovative features of the project*

0/500
Anticipated outcomes and impact*

0/500
Dissemination Plan*

0/500
Please outline any specific skills required for this project and divide by essential or desirable skills where necessary (If your project is chosen these skills will be added to the website and potential Scholars applying will be asked to show how they meet the skills required)*

0/500
If your project is chosen, a brief summary of your project will be added to the SPHeRE website for potential Scholars to view. Please add the project summary here*

0/400
Please enter any other information you think is relevant
Attachments
Please attached your CV here (CV should be no more than 3 pages)*

Please attach in .pdf or .doc format
Cancelof
Before you submit

It would be very helpful for us if you could answer this question:
How were you made aware of this call for projects for the SPHeRE Programme

SPHeRE Network MailingSPHeRE Wednesday WeeklySPHeRE WebsiteHRBForwarded by a colleague/lecturerTwitterLinkedInInstagramUniversity websiteGoogle searchjobs.iejobs.ac.ukeuraxessOther
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