CREATE is an exciting consortium of 5 UK Universities, with 6 partner research institutions in Africa and Asia, funded by Wellcome to train high-calibre health professionals who wish to undertake a PhD as a first step towards a clinical academic career. The 5 UK Universities: London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), Brighton and Sussex Medical School at the University of Sussex (BSMS), University of Sheffield (Ush), University of Bristol (UoB), and University of Southampton (UoSo) have established partnerships with the 6 partner institutions in Asia and Africa: Aga Khan University, Pakistan (AKU), University of Ghana (UoG), University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg (Wits), The Biomedical Research and Training Institute, Zimbabwe (BRTI), MRC The Gambia (MRCG), and MRC/UVRI & LSHTM Uganda Research Unit (MRCU). Together these institutions have exceptional resources and an outstanding track record in research and training.

CREATE will support doctoral fellowships for health professionals from all disciplines with an aspiration for developing a research career. This includes doctors, nurses, midwives and all categories of allied health professionals, including pharmacists and healthcare scientists, and those in veterinary medicine, dentistry and all sub-specialties within medicine and surgery. Applicants must have an interest in global health research and successful applicants will develop their potential to become global health leaders within a structured and mentored training environment.

Fellows will register their PhD at one of the 5 UK institutions and will be expected to conduct their research in and spend extended periods of time (18 months minimum) at one of the Programme Africa/Asia partner institutions in Zimbabwe, Ghana, Pakistan, South Africa, The Gambia, and Uganda as part of their PhD. Fellows will all have a primary supervisor in one of the five UK universities and a co-primary supervisor at the Africa/Asia institution where they will based. 

The scope of the research is deliberately broad and must fulfil the following criteria: 1) research will focus on the health problems pertinent to the countries/region where the fellow will conduct their research; 2) research must fulfil the criteria of Discovery Research as defined by Wellcome. Wellcome defines Discovery Research as ‘covering studies across fields and disciplines that lead to new knowledge of life, health and wellbeing’, incorporating disciplinary breath. Projects that range from the fundamentals of biology to the development of new methods, tools and technologies will be within remit. We will also fund population health studies exploring the social, ethical, cultural, political, economic and historical contexts of human health. We encourage inter-disciplinary research ideas and welcome enquiries and applications from those who have had fewer research opportunities so far, but who can evidence great potential for and commitment to a clinical academic career.

On completion of their PhD,  CREATE fellows will receive individually tailored support to develop their research careers.

Applicants must be practicing healthcare professionals and be registered with a national professional regulatory body in the UK/Republic of Ireland (e.g. - General Medical Council, Health and Care Professions Council). Those who have provisional registration or are at pre-registration stage are not eligible to apply. All applicants must have a minimum of two years of clinical experience following their qualification to be eligible to apply. Medical graduates must be registered on a UK/Republic of Ireland training programme or be a registered GP. Those who are on a training programme will have a minimum 12 months left to complete their CCT in their chosen specialty by the time the PhD is awarded. Nurses, midwives and allied health professionals (NMAHPs) must have a Masters Degree in a relevant field. Applicants must have the right to work in the UK and be eligible for UK/home fees.

Applicants should maintain their clinical skills, if applicable. Support is for three years and includes a salary, research expenses, home rate tuition fees, and training and travel costs. 

Wellcome’s definition of a health professional can be found here. Appointments will be made to match an appointee’s current salary plus London allowance if applicable.  Every effort will be made to match NMAHP salaries to the Agenda For Change scale.

The application is a two-stage process. The Stage 1 process is an online application form that will consider the applicant’s suitability for the CREATE PhD Programme including their motivation to undertake doctoral research training, and their vision of their PhD research and their career. Each question in the application form should be completed, adhering to the word limit. Failure to comply will result in the application not being considered. 

Approximately 15-20 applicants will be selected from Stage 1, and be invited to develop a full Stage 2 application comprising a competitive PhD proposal with a detailed budget and to find relevant supervisors to adhere to the required supervision model described above. Up to five applicants will be selected for funding following external peer review and interview in May 2027.  If successful, fellows will be required to take up the fellowship within 12 months of the award being made. 

Applications for Stage 1 should be made via: http://jobs.lshtm.ac.uk. Online applications will be accepted by the automated system until 23.59 of the closing date. Applicants should not upload a CV. An Equal Opportunities form should be submitted alongside the application to Nunzia.limongelli@lshtm.ac.uk Please quote reference ITD-CRD-2026-24.

Closing date for the receipt of applications is Sunday 8^th November 2026.

If you have any questions about the application process, please email us at create-phd@lshtm.ac.uk

Further information on the Programme is available at: PROGRAMME | CREATE PhD Programme (create-phd.org) 

Closing Date: 08 Nov 2026

Department: Academic

Salary: £45,728 to £76,582 per annum pro rata inclusive

This post is a joint appointment between the International Centre for Eye Health (ICEH) and the Global Health Economics Centre - two world-leading groups at the forefront of global health research and policy impact. 

Despite significant progress, over a billion people worldwide live with preventable or treatable vision impairment - the vast majority in low- and middle-income countries. With the planned 2030 Lancet Commission on Global Eye Health (led by ICEH) and growing funder consensus, there is urgent demand for rigorous health economics evidence to move eye care from donor-funded charity to a core feature of self-sustaining national health systems. The post-holder will be central to producing it.

You will join a team working on an exciting and highly impactful research portfolio, with scope to develop new studies. Current work includes economic evaluation of the EARN Trials (testing the economic impact of near vision glasses in Kenya and India); cost-effectiveness analyses for the CHERISH Trials integrating primary eye care into WHO/UNICEF childhood illness programmes; methodological research on QALY and DALY valuation for vision impairment; and development of health economics modules for population-based eye health surveys. You will also contribute to return-on-investment and sustainable financing research, help coordinate an international network of health economists in eye health, contribute to the 2030 Lancet Commission, and support LSHTM teaching and student supervision. The role involves travel to project teams primarily in Asia and Africa.

The successful candidate will have a doctoral degree in a relevant topic (Health Economics or closely related discipline), strong and demonstrable understanding of economic evaluation methods, through formal training and experience, experience of designing, conducting data collection and analysing health economics studies. Further particulars are included in the job description. 

The post is fixed term until 31 March 2029 (with strong potential for extension subject to securing further external research funding) and full-time 35 hours per week, 1.0 FTE. The post is funded by Givewell, Founders Pledge, and NIHR and is available immediately. The salary will be on the LSHTM scale, Grade 7 in the range £53,317 - £61,034 per annum pro rata (inclusive of London Weighting).

The post will be subject to the LSHTM terms and conditions of service. Annual leave entitlement is 30 working days per year, pro rata for part time staff. In addition to this there are discretionary “Wellbeing Days”. Membership of the Pension Scheme is available. The post is based in London at LSHTM, with hybrid working available (minimum two days on-site per week).

Applications should be made on-line via our jobs website. Online applications will be accepted by the automated system until 10pm of the closing date. Any queries regarding the application process may be addressed to jobs@lshtm.ac.uk. Please quote reference ITD-CRD-2026-22.

The supporting statement section should set out how your qualifications, experience and training meet each of the selection criteria. Please provide one or more paragraphs addressing each criterion. The supporting statement is an essential part of the selection process and thus a failure to provide this information will mean that the application will not be considered. An answer to any of the criteria such as “Please see attached CV” will not be considered acceptable.

Please note that if you are shortlisted and are unable to attend on the interview date it may not be possible to offer you an alternative date.

Closing Date: 11 Oct 2026

Department: Academic

Salary: £53,317 to £61,034 per annum pro rata inclusive