Date: 9 October 2026
Location: 1000 Satellites Speicherstadt, Am Sandtorkai 27, 20457 Hamburg, Germany or via online participation
iSPARC is a one-day advanced training that immerses participants in a realistic infectious disease outbreak simulation designed to move beyond discipline-specific thinking toward the collaborative, integrative problem-solving that real-world epidemic responses demand. Using a hybrid approach (in-person and remotely joining), participants work in interdisciplinary teams representing:
- Diagnostic capacity
- Epidemiology and clinical response
- Public health and community engagement
- Information management
These teams will synthesize evidence under uncertainty, develop actionable policy recommendations, and communicate findings across professional boundaries to diverse audiences including decision-makers. Structured debriefs at regular intervals prompt teams to share findings across disciplines and reflect explicitly on hybrid collaboration strategies. Beyond the simulation, there will be room for networking, connecting participants with experts and peers from the three partner institutions and their international networks.
The training aims to enable participants to:
- Synthesize diagnostic, epidemiological, and social science evidence into coherent outbreak assessments and policy-relevant recommendations despite incomplete data and evolving uncertainties
- Communicate technical findings effectively to diverse audiences, conveying both evidence strength and limitations transparently across organizational boundaries
- Apply effective strategies for distributed collaboration in hybrid international teams, navigating communication challenges, and decision-timing constraints inherent in geographic and organizational boundaries
iSPARC is directed at GLOHRA members, that are advanced trainees and early-career researchers in global health, public health, laboratory diagnostics, epidemiology, and related fields.
- Costs: Participation in the workshop, including catering during the event, is free of charge. However, participants are expected to cover their own travel, accommodation, and any additional expenses.
- Travel grants: A limited number of travel grants up to 500€ are available. Preference will be given to participants with LMIC nationalities. Before applying for the grant, please consider whether you can obtain travel support from your institution.
- Registration: To register, please fill out the online application form by 16th August 2026, 23:59 PM CEST.
For inquiries, please contact the iSPARC Consortium.