Free WHO Online Course on Implementation Research: Enrol for October 2026 | Certificate Available

October 10, 2026

Global Opportunities International Development Monitoring and Evaluation Public Health Global Health Professional Development

Overview

The Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases, hosted by the World Health Organization, offers an online training initiative focused on implementation research. The programme helps participants understand how health interventions, policies, and solutions are delivered, evaluated, and scaled up in real-world settings, with a particular focus on populations experiencing poverty and limited access to healthcare.

Who can apply

The curriculum is suited for public health professionals, researchers, healthcare practitioners, academics, students, programme managers, development workers, and individuals involved in disease prevention, health systems strengthening, monitoring and evaluation, and community health programmes. Attendance is by invitation only, and interested individuals must contact their regional training centre or email the course contacts to enquire about joining a session.

What you get

Participation in the online course is free of charge, and university academic credits are not awarded. Eligible participants who complete the five modules and achieve at least seventy percent of the final grade receive a certificate of attendance signed by representatives of the organizing bodies and collaborating academic institutions. Additionally, participants can enter a research proposal competition where selected proposals rated as good or excellent can receive competitive funding of up to US$15,000, with one proposal funded per region annually.

Requirements

Assessment consists of two graded control quizzes, two control assignments, and a final examination requiring a short implementation research proposal. The programme suggests a commitment of three to five hours of study per week, though the time required varies depending on individual pacing.

Key dates

The course runs from 19 October 2026 to 15 December 2026, encompassing roughly five weeks of course content while remaining open for about eight weeks.