Health Sciences
Training and resources
We will be updating information in this section on a regular basis – including adding new dates for our upcoming training sessions. To hear more about our training and other work, please join the Health Research Inclusion Network: https://forms.gle/fimKDGyCs9yMZUyp8
Online training
Improving Diversity and Inclusion in Health and Care Research
The 4-hour online course, led by Dr Suman Prinjha, will take place on Wednesday 14th October and Wednesday 9th December 2026 (9am – 1pm).
Overview
Underserved groups often experience poorer health outcomes than the wider population and are less likely to take part in health and care research. Funding bodies highlight the importance of conducting inclusive research, and in 2024 Research Inclusion became a key condition of NIHR funding. Training researchers on best practices in conducting equitable research is critical to carrying out work that is relevant, impactful, and reflective of the diverse populations that make up our communities.
At the Centre for Health Research Inclusion (CHERI) researchers have pooled their wealth of expertise to develop a 4-hour CPD training course to share actionable learning about the inclusion of underserved groups in research. Our Improving Diversity and Inclusion in Health and Care Research course aims to equip participants with the knowledge and skills to design and conduct inclusive research, and embed equity throughout their projects.
Teaching methods
This course provides participants with an in-depth understanding of the principles and practice of conducting inclusive research. It covers the key stages of research, and practical guidance on incorporating inclusion from study design to dissemination. We will explore the real-world challenges, barriers, enablers, and opportunities in embedding diversity in health studies – showcasing examples of good practice from successfully completed projects and ongoing live research.
This is a practical, interactive webinar in which participants will have the opportunity to learn from the work of experienced researchers and discuss their own research in a small group setting.
On completion of the course, participants will receive an e-brochure of key topics covered in the session and helpful resources, and a CPD certificate of attendance.
Objectives
By the end of the course, participants will have a good understanding of
- the importance of inclusivity in health and care research, and how underrepresentation affects the quality and applicability of research
- identifying the underserved groups that need to be included in a study, and the challenges that diverse groups face in participating in research
- barriers to inclusion and strategies for improving equity in research design, recruitment, data analysis and dissemination
- community engagement, building trust, and sustaining long-term relationships with partners and stakeholders
- budgeting for Research Inclusion
- identifying actionable learning to apply in individual research projects
Who will benefit from attending this course?
The course is aimed at everyone with an interest in conducting inclusive health and care research. This includes Masters and PhD students, and researchers at all career stages working in academia, industry, the NHS, community organisations, local councils, businesses, and health charities. The course is particularly valuable for anyone
- applying for a studentship, fellowship, or grant funding and would like to be better prepared for conducting inclusive research
- starting a new project and would like to embed equity throughout the study
- Principal Investigators who would like their team to have a good understanding of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in health and care research
Fees
- £400 per person; the early bird discount of £350 ends 2 weeks before the course start date
Early Bird Discount; Please use IDIHCREB1 for October 2026 and IDIHCREB2 for December 2026
- £200 for voluntary sector staff
Please use IDIHCR50 to claim the discount for voluntary sector staff.
VAT is not payable. Registration fees are payable in advance of the workshop dates and are fully inclusive of
- Tuition
- Course materials
If you would like to be added to our newsletter list so that you can be notified about our upcoming courses, please complete this Google form with your details. We do not share your information with any other organisation or person.
Registration
Before you register for these workshops, please ensure you have secured the appropriate funding from your organisation.
Payment is made online by Credit/Debit Card (please note the University of York does not accept American Express cards).
Course booking
Faculty presenters
The course is delivered online by Dr Suman Prinjha, with the support of Community Researchers, senior researchers, and occasional guest speakers who are experts in their work with underserved groups. Everyone teaching on the course is research-active and works with underrepresented groups.
Suman Prinjha is an Associate Professor in Inclusive Health Research at York Trials Unit, a Research Inclusion Advisor in the NIHR Research Support Service delivered by University of York and partners, and a BACP-registered psychotherapist. She leads research into health inequalities, ethnic minority health, and using patient experience data to improve health information, care and services. Over the past two decades, her research has focused on the health experiences of people from a wide range of underserved groups, published on the award-winning Healthtalk.org. She has also led research with South Asian communities, as part of the NIHR-funded Summit-D clinical trial; and is EDI Lead on the NIHR-funded UPTURN study. The EDI workstream focuses on the inclusion of Bangladeshi, African and Caribbean communities to a clinical trial on COPD. Suman leads the new Centre for Health Research Inclusion (CHERI) and holds advisory roles with funding bodies, health charities and community organisations.