Useful resources
FAIR data
The overarching goal of the FAIR principles is to maximise the utility of data by promoting practices that support long-term data preservation and reuse. By adhering to these principles, researchers can enhance the transparency, efficiency, and impact of their work. The FAIR guiding principles help you to make your data Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable.
Data management
A Data Management Plan (DMP) is a document that helps clarify how data will be used throughout a research project. It sets out how data will be collected, managed, and maintained, as well as defining the roles and responsibilities of any collaborators involved. As a living document, it can be updated over time to support decisions about data sharing and long-term use. A well-developed DMP also promotes transparency and openness by explaining how data will be made findable, accessible, and reusable, demonstrating good stewardship of publicly funded research.
How to practice good research data management – some useful guides:
Research skills
The ICAT Programme provides skills training via the Summer Schools and study days, in areas such as research design, building a PhD supervisory team, data analysis, statistics, public and patient involvement (PPI), outreach, communication, applied clinical data analytics, leadership, and mentorship. The ICAT Summer Schools are open to PhD students from other HRB-funded programmes and early career stage clinician scientists.
The ICAT partner universities all provide extensive research skills training. During the pre-PhD year, Fellows are registered as honorary/visiting students to enable access to modules that may be useful as they prepare their PhD proposals. When registered as a PhD student, all ICAT Fellows will have access to modules within their own institutions and they can request access to modules run by the other partners.
In addition, national programmes such as Evidence Synthesis Ireland and the SPHeRE Programme offer training suitable to early career researchers.
Evidence Synthesis Ireland (ESI), which hosts Cochrane Ireland, aims to make evidence syntheses more usable in every sense of the word. We provide education for researchers, clinicians, the public and policymakers who conduct or use evidence syntheses.
The SPHeRE Programme – Structured Population health, Policy and Health-services Research Education – is a national research PhD training programme for population health, policy and health services research. Seven modules are taught on the SPHeRE Programme in Population Health and Health Services Research. All modules are available in a blended learning format, with a combination of interactive online teaching and face-to-face teaching, and are open to students outside the SPHeRE Programme.
Clinical research
Clinical research skills enable researchers and triallists to design rigorous studies, interpret evidence accurately, and translate research findings into improved patient care.
HRB Trials Methodology Research Network
The HRB-Trials Methodology Research Network (HRB-TMRN) is a collaborative initiative between a number of Irish and international higher education institutes and methodology centers. We develop & deliver hundreds of hours of training and education in trials methodology annually, as well as provide practical opportunities for capacity building and learning.
Good Clinical Practice
All researchers involved in clinical studies are required to have documented Good Clinical Practice (GCP) training. GCP training can be accessed via several providers, including the partner universities.
Public and Patient Involvement (PPI) in Research
Public and patient involvement (PPI) is essential to ensuring that health and social care research is relevant, ethical, and impactful. By actively involving patients, carers, and members of the public in the research process, research becomes better aligned with real-world needs and experiences. This collaboration helps to identify meaningful research questions, improve study materials and recruitment strategies, and enhance the accessibility and applicability of findings.
PPI also strengthens the quality and credibility of research. Patients and the public bring unique experiential knowledge that complements scientific expertise, offering insights into living with conditions, navigating services, and identifying outcomes that matter most to those affected. This leads to more patient-centred research and can improve the validity and uptake of results in practice.
PPI Ignite Network
The PPI Ignite Network promotes excellence and inspires innovation in public and patient involvement (PPI) in health and social care research on the island of Ireland. Public and patient involvement in research means that the public and patients are involved in planning and doing research from start to finish and help tell the public about the results of research.
There are 11 Partner Universities across the island of Ireland who each host a PPI Ignite Office. The Office is co-funded by the host University, demonstrating their commitment to embedding PPI in health and social care research. Each team is co-led by a combination of academic staff, research support staff, and importantly, a PPI Co-Lead.
NIHR PPI resources
Guidance for applicants on working with people and communities – Information to help you plan how you will work with diverse people and communities in the shaping and use of your research. It explains what is required from you in your funding application. It also signposts to resources that can help you develop this aspect of your application.
Resources and training for public involvement in research – The home for resources and training about public involvement in health and social care research.
Open Research
Publishing research in open access formats is important because it ensures that findings are freely available to researchers, practitioners, patients, and the public, removing financial and institutional barriers. This wider accessibility promotes transparency, accelerates knowledge sharing, and increases the potential impact and real-world application of research.
ICAT Fellows must publish their work in accordance with the HRB (ICAT-1 and ICAT-2) and Wellcome’s (ICAT-1) Open Research Policies.
- HRB Open Research is a platform for HRB-funded researchers to rapidly publish their research outputs in an open and accessible way.
- The HRB is committed to achieving full and immediate Open Access (OA) for its research outputs, aligned with best international standards. Since 2014, the HRB has mandated OA in its publicly funded peer reviewed research publications.
Wellcome Open Research Platform
- A way for Wellcome-funded researchers to rapidly publish any results they think are worth sharing.
- The overarching aim of our open access (OA) policy is to ensure that knowledge and discoveries resulting from our funding are shared and used in a way that maximises their benefit to health. The policy applies to original published research, research articles, monographs and book chapters.
- Wellcome-funded researchers can access funds to cover open access publishing costs for research articles, book chapters and scholarly monographs reporting original research funded by us.
Research integrity training
Research integrity training ensures your work meets the highest standards of professionalism, ethics, and reliability. It is essential for protecting the validity of research findings and maintaining public trust.
Completion of research integrity training is a requirement for all ICAT fellows, and is recommended by major funding bodies.
You can access and complete research integrity training via the partner universities, many of whom use Epigeum to deliver training.