Methodological aspects of research and societal outreach in public health and primary care

Cluster

Research and valorization

Competences as defined in ResearchComp

ResearchComp is a European competency framework developed by the European Commission. It provides a common reference framework that makes researchers’ competencies more visible and comparable—not only for researchers themselves, but also for universities, employers, and policymakers across Europe.

To get started with ResearchComp, you can consult this guide.

Target audience

Doctoral students, primarily from the Department of Public Health and Primary Care, but open to doctoral students from other departments or faculties with interest in the topics.

Organizing committee

Prof. Ignaas Devisch, Prof. Kenneth Chambaere and Laurence Hendrickx, all from the Department of Public Health and Primary care, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences

Abstract

In this course, PhD students will learn to look at the broader methodological and societal context in which their research project takes place: they will learn to look for connections with other disciplines, to understand the concept of causality in qualitative and quantitative research, complex adaptive systems, the use of Artificial Intelligence in research, to be involved in research projects from colleagues from other research domains related to public health and primary care, but also to reflect on the role of researchers in the public space, their relation to societal stakeholders, and how to interact with for example policy makers at different levels.

Objectives

In this course, PhD students will learn to look at the broader methodological and societal context in which their research project takes place: they will learn to actively reflect on their position as researcher, to strengthen their research integrity, to be involved in research projects from colleagues from other research domains, but also how to engage beneficiaries in their research, how to communicate research results without becoming part of polarization and how to look for the right journal to publish in.

Students will have the opportunity to participate in a variety of sessions offered by the department. These sessions are grouped into two clusters, allowing students to choose activities from both clusters. For the course to be added to the curriculum of the Doctoral Training programme, the PhD student must select at least three sessions, totaling six contact hours, and actively engage in them. At the end of the course, students are required to submit a reflection document.

Programme

1.   Outreach in practice

From academic year 2026-2027 onwards (regardless of the year of enrollment), all PhD students at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences need to submit their PhD via a research portfolio. One of the requirements is for the PhD students to participate in a substantial initiative of societal outreach. 

The faculty inspiration framework provides an overview of what is expected from the PhD students, the range of activities and examples of professionalization opportunities. But in this session, we will take it a step further: we guide you through the possibilities, using best practices from the field of Public Health & Primary Care.

Speakers: Prof. Patrick Calders, Chair of the Faculty Doctoral Committee of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, will present the faculty doctoral regulations. Saar Baert, Babette Demeester, Veerle Van Oeckel and Joy Van de Cauter are postdoctoral researchers who will share their experiences.

Date: 08/10/2026 (12:00-13:30)
Location: Room Together, The Core, Campus UZ
Registration: https://event.ugent.be/registration/outreachinpractice

2.   Introducing the Health, Innovation and Research Institute UZ Gent (HIRUZ)

The Health, Innovation and Research Institute UZ Gent (HIRUZ) is the Clinical Trial Center (CTC) of Ghent University Hospital. As a specialized hub, HIRUZ provides a comprehensive support system across seven expertise areas: the Clinical Trial Unit (CTU), Contract Unit (CU), Data Management Unit (DMU), Innovation & Valorisation Unit (IVU), Research Portal, Quality Management, and the Patient Advisory Board (PAWO). In doing so, the department aims to contribute to high-quality, compliant research by especially facilitating investigator-initiated and academic clinical research at both UGent and UZ Gent. Further details can be found on the HIRUZ website at www.hiruz.be.

During a 45-to-50-minute introductory presentation, Dr. Van Rompaey, Head of the Department, will share comprehensive insights and recent operational metrics from each of the seven HIRUZ expertise areas, after which he will engage in a Q&A session. We invite participants to submit their questions before October 15th, by mailing them to ge39outreach@ugent.be 

Speaker: Philippe Van Rompaey, Head of HIRUZ

Date: 10/11/2026 (12:00-13:30)
Location: Room Together, The Core, Campus UZ
Registration: https://event.ugent.be/registration/HIRUZ

3.   PhD café

In a PhD café, PhD students get an opportunity to present their research to other PhD students, post-doctoral researchers and professors, in an informal setting. The aim is to improve their presentation skills, while at the same time getting feedback on their research itself from colleagues from the same and different disciplines, but all related to public health and primary care. In this way, they can also engage in discussions about their work, broadening their scientific horizons. 

A few months before each PhD Café, speakers are invited to submit an abstract. Students following these sessions are not required, but are encouraged to present their own work.

Date: 08/12/2026 (12:00-13:30)
Location: Room Together, The Core, Campus UZ
Registration: https://event.ugent.be/registration/PhDcafe2026

4.   From Coding to Meaning: Embracing Reflexive Thematic Analysis

Join this seminar to explore Reflexive Thematic Analysis as a flexible yet rigorous approach to qualitative research. Moving away from rigid procedures, this approach emphasizes the active role of the researcher in interpreting data and constructing meaning. You will learn how reflexivity, subjectivity, and theoretical positioning are not biases to eliminate, but essential resources for rich analysis.

The seminar focuses on the underlying principles of the approach: coding as an organic, iterative process; themes as interpretative patterns rather than summaries; and analysis as a deeply engaged, reflective practice. Ideal for researchers seeking to strengthen their qualitative work, this session invites you to rethink analysis as a creative and critical endeavour that captures complexity and nuance.

Speaker: Victoria Clarke, UK
Date: 14/01/2027 (12:00-13:30)
Location: Room Together, The Core, Campus UZ
Registration: https://event.ugent.be/registration/RTA

5.   European policy making

How can you influence policy making at European level as a researcher? What are the roles and competencies of the European Commission, the European Parliament, the Council of the European Union? Which expert panels and advisory groups are active in the area of Public Health & Primary Care, and how do you get access to them as a researcher?

This seminar will focus on the importance of European legislation for Belgian legislation, and on how researchers can (or cannot) contribute to policymaking at the European level. Experts will share their experiences from different perspectives, including those of policymakers, politicians, civil society, lobby organizations, and others, followed by a debate on a concrete public health–related case.

Speakers: Mathias Dobbels,  Political Administrator at the General Secretariat of the Council of the European Union and former Head of Cabinet for the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Social Affairs and Public Health; Stephen Boucher, senior training expert from the Egmont Institute; Peter Van Elsuwege, Professor of EU Law, Ghent University

Date: 16/02/2027 (12:00-13:30)
Location: Room Together, The Core, Campus UZ
Registration: https://event.ugent.be/registration/Europeanpolicy

6.   Open Science: open data & open access

Scientific research often involves the collection of personal data. How do we deal with the tension between making as much data as possible accessible to as many people as possible, and the protection of personal data? How do we best archive data when using open data systems? How do we deal with pseudonymization and making sure participants are informed about those processes? How to develop informed consent forms that take all these issues into account?

Speaker: Laura Standaert, data steward, Ghent University Library team

Date: 16/03/2027 (12:00-13:30)
Location: Room Together, The Core, Campus UZ
Registration: https://event.ugent.be/registration/OpenScience  

7.   The Use of AI in Qualitative Data Analysis: A Critical Exploration

Artificial intelligence is reshaping how qualitative researchers design analytical strategies and interpret rich textual, visual, and audio data. Large language models can now assist with tasks such as initial coding, identifying patterns across large corpora, generating memos, and abstracting higher-order themes. Yet these tools raise pressing questions about epistemological fit: qualitative research prizes reflexivity, situated interpretation, and the researcher's own subjectivity, all of which sit uneasily alongside automated pattern-matching. This seminar invites researchers to critically examine where AI can genuinely augment qualitative rigor, and where it risks flattening nuance, obscuring bias, or displacing the interpretive labor that gives qualitative work its depth.

Speaker: Christina Silver, UK (tbc)

Date: 15/04/2027 (12:00-13:30)
Location: Room Together, The Core, Campus UZ
Registration: https://event.ugent.be/registration/AIqualianalysis 

8.   Loud and clear: making your research heard without losing your credibility

How do you share your expertise with the broader public in times where it has become hard to distinguish scientific evidence from fake news? How do you avoid being used by the media as click-bait? How do you protect your integrity and your personal life from attacks by the broad public, and by the support base of ill-intentioned politicians?

Speaker: Tine Dezeure

Date: 18/05/2027 (12:00-13:30)
Location: Room Together, The Core, Campus UZ
Registration: https://event.ugent.be/registration/Crediblecommunication

9.   What to do when an RCT is not possible? Target trial emulation

Target trial emulation is a framework used to derive causal inferences from observational data by mimicking the design of a randomized controlled trial. It helps researchers specify a target trial protocol and then emulate its components using available observational data to estimate causal effects. Target trial emulation thus helps researchers to avoid making fundamental errors that can result in erroneous causal conclusions.

Speaker: Camila Olarte Parra (Karolinska University, Sweden) 

Date: 17/06/2027 (12:00-13:30)
Location: Room Together, The Core, Campus UZ
Registration: https://event.ugent.be/registration/Targettrialemulation

Registration fee

Free of charge for Doctoral School members.

Language

English

Evaluation method

Students will have the opportunity to participate in a variety of sessions offered by the department. These sessions are grouped into two clusters, allowing students to choose activities from both clusters. For the course to be added to the curriculum of the Doctoral Training programme, the PhD student must select at least three sessions, totaling six contact hours, and actively engage in them. At the end of the course, students are required to submit a reflection document.

After successful participation, the Doctoral School Office will add this course to your curriculum of the Doctoral Training Programme in Oasis. Please note that this can take up to one to two months after completion of the course.