Fully Funded PhD Opportunity from September 2026, Dublin Ireland.
Are you a health systems, policy or governance researcher or practitioner interested in a fully funded PhD opportunity? Applications are now being accepted through the SPHeRE Programme for a PhD protect focused on generating evidence to inform Health Region implementation and enhance outcomes in Ireland.
What: GOVernance and REFORM of the IRish Health System: Generating evidence to inform Health Region implementation and enhance outcomes (GOV-REFORM-IR Project)
Where: Centre for Health Policy & Management, Trinity College Dublin and the SPHeRE PhD Programme
Who: Supervision team
Dr Carlos Bruen (PI, TCD) https://peoplefinder.tcd.ie/Profile?Username=BRUENC1
Prof Sara Burke (TCD) https://www.tcd.ie/research/profiles/?profile=burkes17
Dr Elaine Toomey (University of Galway) https://research.universityofgalway.ie/en/persons/elaine-toomey/
International advisor Prof Sara Allin (University of Toronto) https://ihpme.utoronto.ca/faculty-profile/sara-allin/
The Context: Ireland’s health system is undergoing a substantial structural reform. Central to this transformation is the introduction of six new HSE Health Regions, alongside a reconfigured HSE Centre, with responsibility for planning, managing resources, and delivering services increasingly devolved from centralised to regional levels. However, whether decentralisation leads to more effective, integrated, and responsive care depends on how decision-making authority and responsibility can be exercised in practice, the capacity of leaders across organisational levels to act, and the accountability relationships linking national, regional, and local actors. This PhD project will generate policy-relevant evidence on how Ireland’s new health system structures are reshaping governance, decision-making, implementation capacity, and integrated care delivery at national and regional levels.
See here for more information on this project and proposed work packages: https://www.sphereprogramme.ie/governance-and-reform-of-the-irish-health-system-generating-evidence-to-inform-health-region-implementation-and-enhance-outcomes-gov-reform-ir/
PhD details: The full-time 4 year structured PhD Programme includes:
- Annual stipend of €25,000, plus laptop computer, plus PhD fees
- 6 taught modules completed in the first year of the Programme
- A workshop programme which runs over four years
- 8-week specialist placement in relevant Irish health related agencies in the first year
- Placement with a prestigious overseas agency to further PhD project development in the second or third years
You:
- Strong primary and masters degree in a related area (essential)
- Demonstrated experience of related research methods and study design (essential)
- Familiarity with the Irish health system desirable, but not essential
- See the project details for more
Applications are now open for a September 2026 start. Deadline 20th April 2026.
Apply here: https://www.sphereprogramme.ie/scholar-applications/
If you are interested in this opportunity and believe you meet the criteria, please get in touch with me for informal project-related queries. Project PI, Dr Carlos Bruen: bruenc1@tcd.ie