We offer a range of training and capacity-building opportunities that enable Imperial researchers, students, staff and the public to upskill themselves on public involvement in research. Our opportunities have a particular focus on health-related research.
If you are an Imperial staff member or student and have any other enquiries or need more information about public involvement training, please contact us.
For societal engagement-related training opportunities please visit Imperial's Centre for Societal Engagement training webpages.
Other training resources
Other training resources
- Patient Experience Research Centre (PERC) Public Involvement training
- Facilitation training
- Data and Artificial Intelligence training
- National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Public Involvement training
- Public Involvement Training from other organisations
- Research training for public contributors
Patient Experience Research Centre (PERC) Public Involvement training
- An introduction to Public Involvement in Research (Maria Piggin, Partnerships and Training Manager at PERC, The Society for Endocrinology Skills Academy Webinar)
- Introduction to Participatory Approaches in Public Health (Coursera) - This course provides an introduction to participatory approaches to public health. Learn about the history of participatory health research and why it is essential to solving contemporary public health challenges.
- Applying Participatory Approaches in Public Health Settings (Coursera) - This course specifically explores approaches and tools, and how to apply them in public health settings. You will learn how to critically analyse the power dynamics present between multidisciplinary stakeholders and appreciate the need for reciprocity between those delivering and those receiving health care; between both those conducting and those participating in research.
Facilitation training
- Facilitating group discussions - a free course from the Open University on facilitating group discussions. The course explores the facilitator’s role and looks at different styles of facilitating.
- Trauma-Informed Practice training - Thrive LDN has partnered with Nicola Lester Psychological Trauma Consultancy to offer free, pre-recorded trauma-informed practice training to support individuals and organisations. Since during public involvement sessions sensitive topics might be addressed, we hope you find this training useful, as it also includes a facilitation guide.
Data and Artificial Intelligence training
- Navigating digital health – a guide for the public involved in research using data and artificial intelligence.
National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Public Involvement training
- Public reviewing with the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) - online course made up of 3 modules developed by the NIHR for:
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- Public contributors who have been asked to provide feedback on a research document or sit on committee that assess several research documents.
- Public contributors who are new to reviewing (research) and those who want to know more.
- Researchers, research managers and funders who want to understand what makes good Patient and Public Involvement and the public perspective.
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- COVID-19: Understanding the research behind the pandemic - developed by the NIHR Clinical Research Network and the University of Leeds. The course aims to uncover the UK’s critical health research response in the NHS - which discovered new vaccines and proven treatments in response to the COVID-19 global healthcare crisis. The two-week online course will only take two hours of your time each week and you’ll explore how the research community rose to the challenge to develop life-saving treatments and vaccines with patient safety at the centre of its work. A certificate is available on completion of the course at the cost of £32.
- NIHR INCLUDE online course - accessible online through NIHR Learn. For new users, you will be prompted to register at the login page. Upon completion of the registration form, you will then have access to the course.
- An Introduction and Practical Guide to Community Engagement and Involvement in Global Health Research - a free online course on community engagement and involvement in global health research. Produced by the NIHR in collaboration with the Mesh Community Engagement Network.
Public Involvement Training from other organisations
- Working with People and Communities to Improve Health Outcomes (NHS England). Learn how to engage with different people and communities to reduce inequalities and ensure inclusive access to healthcare.
- European Patient Ambassador Programme course - The course is made up of eight modules, which will help you gain the information and skills you need to become a successful patient representative. You do not have to do the modules in the order they are presented. The individual modules can be done in any order you feel best suits your needs and interests.
- FutureLearn provides free online learning to all, which often includes courses hugely relevant to research, public engagement and involvement and the wider field of health and well-being. You can sign-up to get notifications, or keep checking the site for the latest courses.
Research training for public contributors
- Why Experience Matters - Qualitative Research (Futurelearn) - Explore the methods and tools qualitative researchers use to understand human behaviour and solve social problems. Suitable for general public audience.
- Improving Healthcare Through Clinical Research (Futurelearn) - appropriate for members of the public - on this free online course, find out how medical treatments are discovered, tested and evaluated to improve healthcare for all.
- Patient Focused Medicine Development (online training courses) - an independent global coalition of health stakeholders established in October 2015 which brings together resources that integrate the voice of the patient across the lifecycle of medicine.
- EUPATI Open Classroom - Flexible and on demand e-learning platform providing courses in medicines research and development for patients, patient representatives and other stakeholders. If a learner wishes to take an assessment to test their learning, the fee to unlock an assessment is EUR 8 (incl. VAT) and they will receive a course certificate via email.
- Research Methods: A Practical Guide to Peer and Community Research: Identify how to conduct your own research and develop your own ethical research project on this practical course (Futurelearn).
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PERC Director and Co-Founder
Prof. Helen Ward
h.ward@imperial.ac.uk
For enquiries about public involvement in research and research more generally, please email:
publicinvolvement@imperial.ac.uk