Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences

Housing and travel

Students are responsible for their own transport to
and from the University of Antwerp. All participants
will be housed together in international student ac-
commodation nearby campus, which will be arranged
by our secretariat.
International Course
Scholarships Epidemiology, Biostatistics &
12 VLIR-UOS scholarships are available for eligible
applicants by filling in the last page of the application
Course organiser Qualitative Research Methods
Prof. J.P. Van geertruyden
form (see below for more information). Each VLIR-
UOS scholar receives:
Course fee waiver
Course venue
Air ticket University of Antwerp
Health insurance Global Health Institute
Visum costs, including travel to/from the Embassy Campus Drie Eiken
Accommodation Doornstraat 331 22 October - 30 November 2018
A daily subsistence allowance 2610 Antwerp - Belgium University of Antwerp, Belgium

Scholarship eligibility global.health.institute@uantwerpen.be

Below are the main eligibility criteria for a VLIR-UOS
scholarship. A full list can be found on the application www.uantwerp.be/ebq
form or at: http://www.vliruos.be/en/scholarships/
scholarships-to-study-in-flanders,-belgium/requisites-
and-criteria-to-get-a-scholarship/
Nationality of one of the 31 countries from the
VLIR-UOS list
Not involved in a VLIR-UOS or other DGD-sponso-
red project Fc
Fc

Preference given to those employed in academic

Fd
Fd

institutions, research institutes, governments, TPS

Fk
Fk

social economy, or NGO’s.

Applications
Submit your complete application to 12 VLIR-UOS
global.health.institute@uantwerpen.be scholarships are
by midnight CET on 1 May 2018. The application form UA
(Ark)
(Ark)
available. Eligibility
and a list of required supporting documents may be and application
found at www.uantwerp.be/ebq. Within a month
requirements
of this deadline, all applicants will be informed by
detailed inside!
email of the decision of the EBQ Selection Committee TA
TA

regarding the selected participants and the awarded

scholarships.
Revarte

The International EBQ is an intensive six-week training
course on the basic principles and methods of epidemiolo-
gy.  An in-depth study of medical statistics with appropriate
statistical methods is integrated in the main epidemiological
content.  Basic principles of qualitative methods will be ex-
plained, and introductory lectures will be given on system-
atic reviews, health economics, and cost-effectiveness.
Throughout the course each participant will have the
opportunity to work with his/her own data set under the
guidance of experienced tutors.  Each participant receives
the Clinical Epidemiology handbook by Grobbee and Hoes,
as well as other necessary didactic materials (powerpoint
presentations, articles, etc.).
Major topics
1. Quantitative study design - Prof. J. Weyler
Principles of prognostic (cohort), etiologic
(case-control) and diagnostic (cross-sectional) research
will be explained with a focus on study object, data
collection (design methods) and data analysis. In ad-
dition, more recent design types will be presented as
case-cohort, case-cross-over studies. The participants
will be able to select the best research design taking into
account the specific context (domain) and the specific
research question (etiognostic, diagnostic, prognostic).
2. Methods of data analysis/biostatistics
Prof. G. Molenberghs
Analysis of scientific data will gradually progress from
basics (ttest, chi², ANOVA...) to further analyses related
to the study designs discussed in the first module:
Lineair regression
Logistic regression (inclusive model validation and
diagnostic regression)
Poisson regression analysis of time related data
(‘event-history’) with attention to Cox proportional
hazard modelling
Students will also be introduced to longitudinal data
analysis.
3. Qualitative study design - Prof. H. Bastiaens
We will explain why and when qualitative research can
be used, and assess its validity and reliability.
Focus group research
Interviewing
Case studies
Narratives
Ethnographic research
Phenomenological research
The students will be able to design their own
qualitative study, analyse qualitative data and design
and publish qualitative research studies (using NVivo
or Atlas software).
Introductory lectures
4. Systematic reviews - Dr. C. Simoens
This lecture will enable students to describe the princi­
ples and interpret the results of systematic reviews, and
critically appraise existing systematic reviews.
5. Meta-analysis - Prof. T. Burzykowski
This lecture is complementary to the one on systematic
review, and will also provide the principles, methods,
and hands-on exercises for meta-analysis in Medical
Research.
6. Health economics and cost-effectiveness
This lecture will provide insights for performing cost-ef-
fectiveness analysis, as well as understanding the issues
faced by health economists.
Practical sessions
7. Introduction to statistical software packages
(SPSS and Stata) - PhDc. C. Delgado-Ratto
The students will learn how to use SPSS and Stata soft-
ware during hands-on statistics exercises with databas-
es. The practical lessons on descriptive and inferential
statistics will provide the basis to comprehensibly
analyze their own databases using any of these software
packages.
8. Research Project - Prof. J.P. Van geertruyden
Students will be individually tutored* to conduct their
own data analysis. Depending on the research topic, the
student may analyse quantitative or qualitative data,
perform a meta-analysis or perform a cost-effectiveness
analysis. Study results will be presented in the final
week of the course.
*tutoring possible in English, French, Spanish, and Dutch.
Eligible participants
Researchers/PhD students from different disciplines and
faculties are accepted. In order to guarantee a personal
progress trajectory and interactive exchanges during
classes, a maximum of 20 participants will be accepted.
Requirements:
Master’s degree
Knowledge of Basic Essential Medical Statistics
(level part A & B Kirkwood, ISBN 978 0 86542871 3)
Good command of English (upper intermediate level)
Good knowledge of Microsoft Office software
Personal laptop
Own database
The course accounts for the equivalent of 6 ECTS.
A Certificate of Attendance will be awarded upon
completion of the course.
Course fee
The course fee is €3400. This covers:
Participation in the course
Lunch on course days
A social programme
Didactic material
License for the use of Nvivo software until the end of
the academic year
The fee does NOT cover travel costs, accommodation,
evening meals, or a license for Stata software (this can be
purchased for a preferential price).
The course fee must be paid in full by 1 September 2018
in order to confirm participation in the training. After that
date, your place may be offered to those on the waiting
list. Cancellation of attendance after this date may also
lead to the loss of all or part of the course fee.