Training for supervisors

MRC LID requires all staff connected with the scheme to undertake specific (a) institutional and (b) mandatory EDI training, regardless of whether they are based at LSHTM or City St George’s or elsewhere.

This page provides

  1. Details about MRC LID’s training requirements for prospective supervisors (intending to submit a project bid) and current supervisors (supervising an MRC LID funded student).
  2. MRC LID EDI FAQs.

1A. Institutional training requirements

Supervisory teams must meet the institutional requirements for research degree (RD) supervision at the primary supervisor’s institution (either CSG or LSHTM) at proposed bid stage and throughout the duration of a studentship award. This includes

  • meeting supervisory team composition rules, and
  • keeping RD supervisor training up to date (initial and refresher, usually every three years thereafter).

If you have not previously undertaken your institution’s RD supervisor training, or need to attend a refresher session, please book the necessary, suitable training at your institution for the first available opportunity.

Does your proposed team meet these requirements? Is your training up-to-date?

Yes = Please check the separate, additional MRC LID EDI training requirements below.
No = Please each book the necessary training at your institution for the first available opportunity. Please also check the separate, additional MRC LID requirements below.

1B. MRC LID EDI training requirements

MRC LID made equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) and “widening participation” a core focus of the DTP2 grant. (DTP1 followed traditional HEI advertisements and recruitment, and the data shows that we are missing out on a wide range of potential students.) Part of this was a commitment to mandatory training for all staff connected to MRC LID.

  • Every member of a proposed or current MRC LID supervisory team (including mentors), must complete the specified EDI training courses at LSHTM, regardless of their institution or organisation.
  • Because of the commitments made on our grant MRC LID cannot consider project bids without the specified training having been completed by all supervisory team members.
  • Mandatory training for all supervisory team members must be completed before projects can be considered for inclusion. Therefore, all required training must be completed by the advertised MRC LID project bid training deadline (see call for projects information).
  • Other training cannot be used as an alternative to MRC LID requirements.
  • MRC LID EDI training comprises initial/new training and refresher training every two years thereafter.

Further details on the required training are outlined below. (Required courses are named as they show in the LSHTM Talent Development Programme.)

Initial/new training

Summary: Watch one recording and complete two training courses.  

1. Overview recording

All prospective supervisors are asked to watch the recording made for DTP2 in 2023-24, so that you have some background and understanding of the scheme. The principles and general information remain the same, although updated details and timelines specific to this project bid round will be highlighted in the 2026-27 MRC LID Project Bid Guidance document.
MRC LID DTP2 Overview Recording 

2. ‘Equity, Diversity & Inclusion at LSHTM workshop’

(For a short period in 2024 this course was called ‘An Interactive Introduction to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) at LSHTM’. If you undertook that course you do not need to ‘repeat’ it with this one.)

  • Monday 3 February 2025, 14.00-15.30 (online)
  • Wednesday 12 March 2025, 14.30-16.00 (online)
  • Wednesday 16 April 2025, 14.00-15.30 (online)
  • Wednesday 14 May 2025, 10.00-11.30 (online)
  • Friday 20 June 2025, 10.00-11.30 (online)
  • Tuesday 15 July 2025, 10.00-11.30 (online)
  • Tuesday 9 September 2025, 14:00-15:30 (online)
  • Friday 24th October 2025, 10:00-11:30 (online; for MRC LID supervisors only)
  • Further options will be added here as and when they are available.

3. ‘Challenging microaggressions and being an active bystander’

  • Friday 24 January 2025, 10.00-12.30 (online)
  • Wednesday 12 March 2025, 10.00-12.30 (online)
  • Wednesday 2 July 2025, 14.00-16.30 (online)
  • Further options will be added here as and when they are available.

Have you undertaken the required initial/new training?

Both courses must be completed. Once you have undertaken each course, and it is showing on your record, there is no requirement to redo it for MRC LID purposes.
Yes = If this was before 1 January 2024 please see refresher requirements. If both courses were undertaken between 1 January 2024 and now MRC LID has no further EDI training requirements for this project bid round.
No = Please check course occurrences and book your space.

To book

To book for the September & October 2025 options (and/or wish to be notified of additional courses if and when these are available and once we have more information): please add your name to this online survey list as soon as possible, and by 1 September 2025 at the latest, to indicate your requirements and be added to the list. This will help us to gauge demand and try to meet it within the studentship recruitment timeline.

Add your name to this online survey list by 1 September 2025 at the latest.

Places on each course are limited. Please book for the earliest available opportunity that you can make.

Refresher training

Summary: Watch one recording and attend one reflective practice workshop.
Refresher training is due every two years following completion of initial/new mandatory training. It is only for staff who have previously undertaken the named ‘initial/new’ training courses at LSHTM.

1. Overview recording

All prospective supervisors are asked to watch the recording made for DTP2 in 2023-24, so that you have some background and understanding of the scheme. The principles and general information remain the same, although updated details and timelines specific to this project bid round will be highlighted in the 2026-27 MRC LID Project Bid Guidance document.
MRC LID DTP2 Overview Recording 

2. ‘Inclusive behaviours for PhD supervisors workshop’ 

(Previously the ‘EDI Reflective Practice for RD Supervisors workshop’)

Do you need refresher training?

This course is intended for supervisors who have undertaken MRC LID EDI training previously.
If you have not completed both of the ‘initial/new training’ courses named above please book for these instead.
Anyone who last completed both of the ‘initial/new training’ named courses before 1 January 2024 must undertake refresher training for the coming project bid round. 
Anyone who also attended MRC LID EDI refresher training before 1 January 2024 must undertake refresher training again for the coming project bid round. 

To book

Please book using the links provided for each workshop session.

If you are unable to book on a refresher workshop, because all available options are full, please contact MRC LID (by email: mrclid@lshtm.ac.uk) as soon as possible to indicate your interest and join a waiting list.

2. EDI FAQs for prospective & current supervisors

Mandatory EDI training

Why does MRC LID require EDI training?

MRC LID’s DTP1 data shows that historical recruitment of students from marginalised groups and non-traditional backgrounds was extremely low.

Therefore, as part of our DTP2 grant bid, MRC LID committed to every member of a prospective supervisory team undertaking specific, mandatory EDI training before any contact with potential applicants. More details of our strategy and commitments made can be found on the MRC LID EDI page.

How frequently must I take the EDI and supervisory training?  

MRC LID intends for all supervisors to attend/refresh their EDI training every TWO years.

If you were on absence leave (e.g., maternity or sick leave), you can discount the period of leave from the accumulation of years – for instance, a person who took maternity leave for 52-weeks in the past TWO years will have only accumulated one year (i.e. the year that they were at work) and will still have one year to go until they have accumulated two years and need to do the refresher course. Please contact MRC LID to discuss details further and advised of the aggregated time out. 

Currently, supervisors must update their institutional supervisory training every THREE years (see institutional guidance).

What EDI training must I do?

MRC LID specified training must be completed by every person on the supervisory team before any contact with prospective applicants (ie before projects are advertised in October/November for registration the following September). This requirement is the same regardless of whether the proposed supervisor is based at LSHTM or CSG or elsewhere (external to either partner institution).

Training must also be completed by the mentor of the primary supervisor if/where a mentor is required for the MRC LID scheme.  

Each potential supervisory team member must initially undertake:

  • ‘Equity, Diversity & Inclusion at LSHTM workshop’), and   
  • ‘Challenging Micro-Aggressions and Becoming an Active Bystander’

Those who have not completed this training previously should undertake it now.

Potential supervisors who have previously attended the initial required training must attend refresher training (required every TWO years). Refresher training offered is: 

  • ‘Inclusive behaviours for PhD supervisors workshop’ (previous equivalent course was ‘EDI Reflective Practice for RD Supervisors Workshop’). 

What would happen if I had taken equivalent training from other institutions? Can I use those?

Unfortunately, we don’t have the facility or time to assess equivalent training for what would be a large number of potential supervisors. To ensure that everyone has a common basis for discussing EDI and other RD training issues, we require all potential supervisors to do our in-house training.

Why can’t I do the training later?

Most EDI issues arise at the moment potential supervisors start talking with prospective students and contributing to students’ applications, which is why the training has to be done before the project can be advertised.

What if I can’t book on the training courses?

Places on each course are limited. We strongly recommend that colleagues plan to undertake required EDI training through the year, at the earliest available opportunity, and as far in advance of the call deadline as possible.

If courses are full please contact MRC LID as soon as possible to join a waiting list. This will help us to gauge demand and try to meet it within the studentship recruitment timeline.

The training offered nearest the deadline is always oversubscribed, and there are always people who miss out. Unfortunately, there is no leeway for those who wait until the final opportunity to book and then are unable to attend (for example, due to illness or last-minute teaching commitments).

Every year there are complaints and confrontations about our mandatory training. However, the DTP is unable to compromise on commitments made to UKRI.

Decolonising global health

Why does my reflection on decolonising global health issues apply if my project is primarily based in the UK or other high-income country (HIC) settings?

We recognize that all projects are different, and the concept of coloniality may not seem applicable to a proposed project. However, potential supervisors should spend time as a team reflecting on factors that may perpetuate inequities, such as

  1. underrepresentation of minoritised groups in research,
  2. power dynamics between research participants and researchers as well as between supervisor and supervisee,
  3. sources of knowledge, who is considered an “expert” in a given topic and why, and/or
  4. engagement of study participants and the potential beneficiaries of the research in all steps of it.

These issues may apply to research conducted in low and middle-income countries (LMICs) as well as high-income countries (HICs).

Some other potential sources of information could be found at:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/aac/publication/increasing-diversity-in-research-participation/
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41562-023-01579-9

Contact

If you have any questions about the project bids, required training, or any other aspect of the studentships please contact the MRC LID Manager by email: mrclid@lshtm.ac.uk. 

Comments are closed.