Introduction to Evidence Synthesis: Summer School on Systematic Reviews and Beyond

Overview:

Systematic reviews and evidence syntheses are powerful tools that compile and evaluate all relevant research on a particular question, providing a high-quality evidence base for decision-making. They are crucial for informing policy, guiding practice, and identifying future research needs—not just in health but across various sectors.

Join us for our Summer School at the University of Galway from May 20th to 22nd, 2025, for a hands-on three-day summer school on “Introduction to Evidence Synthesis.” This course is tailored for beginners and those looking to refresh their skills. While the focus is on health, the methods taught are applicable in multiple fields. Through interactive lectures, discussions, and practical exercises, you’ll learn how to conduct systematic reviews and evidence syntheses that can influence research and policy decisions.

Learning outcomes:

By the end of this summer school participants will:

• Understand the importance and principles of evidence synthesis, including systematic reviews.
• Understand how to formulate clear and focused research questions using appropriate frameworks.
• Learn how to develop a systematic review protocol following established guidelines.
• Know how to conduct comprehensive literature searches across multiple databases and sources.
• Gain knowledge of selecting relevant studies and extracting necessary data effectively.
• Understand the principles of assessing the risk of bias in different types of studies using standard tools.
• Understand the principles of both quantitative and qualitative synthesis methods.
• Be introduced to tools like GRADE to evaluate the certainty of evidence.
• Understand the application of these methods to their own research or professional practice across various sectors.
• Connect with peers and experts.

Audience:

Beginners and those with some knowledge seeking to learn or refresh their skills in evidence synthesis, Systematic review authors, guideline developers, health and social care professionals, academics, researchers, postgraduate students, policy and decision-makers, Evidence Synthesis Ireland Fellows and other professionals, anyone interested in evidence synthesis methods. 

Pre-requisites:

• Laptop required
• A basic understanding of research methods (not limited to health research)
• An interest in learning or enhancing knowledge on systematic reviews and evidence synthesis

Places:

100 available for individuals who are resident in Ireland & Northern Ireland

Tickets:

General admission (researchers, academia, clinicians etc): €300
Student: €200
Industry: €600
Public and patients: Please email esi@universityofgalway.ie