HDR UK's Black Internship Programme has been running since 2021, providing opportunities for Black students and recent graduates in science, technology, engineering, and maths (STEM) subjects to gain meaningful insights into health data science, to encourage them to consider pursuing a career in this field, and thereby helping to improve diversity within the sector.
The Programme is now in its fourth year and provides participants with an 8-week paid internship with a host organisation in the health data science sector, including academic institutions, the NHS, and industry partners. To date, 315 interns have either completed or are in the process of completing an internship with a host organisation.
We are commissioning an independent review of the programme, to objectively determine whether it has met the intended outputs and outcomes.
Review objectives:
Evaluate the programme design and implementation, including the approach to engaging the target internship audience and host organisations.
Determine if the BIP has achieved its intended outputs and outcomes.
Understand the programme's value to and influence on HDR UK and the wider health data science sector.
Generate recommendations for the scope of the next iteration of the programme.
Review design:
We recommend the reviewers use the Context, Input, Process, Product (CIPP) framework to structure the review, as a well-established model for evaluation of educational programmes (Stufflebeam, 2003). However, we are also open to alternative framework suggestions made by the consultants.
Consultants are invited to propose a detailed review methodology, utilising the CIPP framework, or something similar. We anticipate this will involve a mixed method approach, comprising a desk review of documents, qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis using survey data gathered from programme stakeholders, descriptive analysis of quantitative programme data, and comparative analysis of similar internship programmes.
Deliverables:
Preliminary results workshop and validation of review findings
Evaluation report
Manuscript for publication based on approved final evaluation report
Cleaned datasets of all data produced for the review
Selection of consultants:
The format for tenders is provided in the ITT. Highest scoring tenders will be invited for an in-person interview, following which the successful tender will be identified.
Timing:
ITT open for applications: 17th June - 19th July 2024
Notification of interview for shortlisted tenders: 9th August 2024
In-person interviews for shortlisted tenders: 2nd September 2024
Notification of contract award: 5th September 2024
Contract start date: 1st October 2024
Contract end date: 31st March 2025
Brain Health Community Assessment for Trials Service
Health Data Research UK (HDR UK) and UK Dementia Research Institute (UK DRI) are working in partnership to deliver the Dementia Trials Accelerator (DTA). The DTA, supporting the Government's Dame Barbara Windsor Dementia Goals programme and funded by the Medical Research Council (MRC), aims to rapidly identify a large group of people who are at risk of, or diagnosed with, early-stage dementia. This will boost opportunities for these people to participate in clinical trials, improve research inclusion and reduce the high screening failure rates currently observed in dementia trials.