2025 saw the launch of the 5th cohort of the NIHR GHR SPARC awards. In this article, we celebrate two colleagues who undertook GHR SPARC placements. Zala and Maria Ishaq Khattak, both of Khyber Medical University, share their SPARC experience.
I work at the intersection of community voices, health systems, and equity.
The SPARC placement gave me the space to strengthen my participatory research practice and reflect on how research can better serve communities and under-represented researchers.Maria Ishaq Khattak
A unique experience
Each year, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) supports a cohort of EMCRs through a highly-competitive placement scheme. The Global Health Research Short Placement Award for Research Collaboration (GHR SPARC) supports NIHR Academy members to travel to, and gain experience in, an NIHR organisation.
All applicants have the freedom to tailor their experience based on individual research interests. Zala explains:
Zala: When I arrived at the University of York for my NIHR GHR SPARC placement, I had a clear ambition of what I wanted to work on. My focus was on developing a Community Engagement and Involvement (CEI) Integrated Implementation Mapping Logic Model — something that could help move community engagement away from being an ad hoc ‘tick-box’ activity and towards something genuinely embedded in research practice.
Last year, we shared the stories of our 4th GHR SPARC cohort; you will find a link to the story below this article. Much like Zala describes, each colleague embarks on their experience with distinct aims and research goals. In Maria Ishaq Khattak’s case, these are as follows:
Maria: I joined the Centre for IMPACT at the University of York through the NIHR Global Health Research Short Placement Award for Research Collaboration (GHR SPARC) with a clear aim: to strengthen participatory and qualitative research methods and apply them to ongoing global health work in Pakistan.
It follows, then, that every SPARC journey is strikingly unique. ‘Bespoke’ is the description by organiser NIHR, who explain that the award aims to improve research, technical, and professional skills through a supportive and collaborative placement.
A global health network
We see this in our own SPARC awardees; throughout their unique journeys, they share in a strong support network of global health professionals. These professionals span countries, organisations, and specialisms.
Zala describes benefiting from in-person learning as well as virtual connections, including with Professor Rumana Huque, CEI lead in the DiaDeM research programme.
Zala: I had the privilege of learning from a diverse group of global health experts across the University of York, as well as from Pakistan and Bangladesh. These helped me understand how CEI operates across contexts, cultures, and power structures.
Zala attending a Research Triangulation Techniques meeting with global health experts
Maria explains how the placement structure allowed her the opportunity to take feedback from cross-disciplinary colleagues. She also reflects on the merits of undertaking robust training by a number of organisations.
Maria: I undertook targeted training, including a cross-disciplinary qualitative health research workshop at King’s College London and two Social Research Association (SRA) courses: Introduction to Participatory Action Research and Creative Data Analysis. These experiences strengthened how I work with participatory data and analyse co-produced evidence.
The University of York
As part of their placement, both colleagues also spent time in the Department of Health Sciences at the University of York. The department is home to over 330 academics, researchers, and support staff – as well as over 1000 students. It is the base for University of York staff who work on a number of NIHR-funded Global Health Research projects, including the Centre for IMPACT, SCIMITAR-SA, and COPE-BP.
Staff are keenly involved in collaborative initiatives; opportunities which Zala and Maria both made the most of!
Maria: During my placement at the University of York, I engaged actively with the research community in the Department of Health Sciences. I attended seminars and meetings held by the Mental Health and Addiction Research group, participated in Qualitative Research Network meetings, and joined discussions through the Global Health Network.
Maria Ishaq Khattak at the University of York
Zala: One of the most meaningful outcomes of my SPARC journey has been the sense of belonging it created. Thanks to the Centre for IMPACT for engaging me in the Global Health Research Network (GHRN) and Global Programme meetings. Becoming a permanent member of these meetings means that my connection to York continues, allowing me to stay engaged, learn, and contribute from afar.
Among the department’s main aims is to promote collaboration between all colleagues in order to foster a nurturing research environment – and in this respect, it is wonderful to read about the experiences of our SPARC awardees.
SPARC supervisors
One particularly key colleague for GHR SPARC awardees is the supervisor; a dedicated point of contact who facilitates focused development.
As each placement is unique, applicants have the freedom to approach a supervisor of their choice when applying for the award. Zala describes Dr Saima Afaq as her dream supervisor.
Zala: The mentorship, encouragement, and guidance of Dr Saima Afaq made a lasting impact, and I am grateful for her continued guidance. She not only supported and guided me in my formal SPARC research outputs but my career development too.
Similarly, Maria Ishaq Khattak reflects on the significance of working consistently and closely with her chosen SPARC supervisor, Dr Hannah Jennings:
Maria: Throughout the placement, Dr Hannah Jennings’ guidance was central to shaping my learning. Our regular discussions helped me refine participatory approaches, think critically about process evaluation, and connect methodological learning to real-world implementation.
Dream supervisors: Zala & Saima Afaq (left), Hannah Jennings & Maria Ishaq Khattak (right)
Memorable experiences
Attaining a SPARC placement is a significant achievement, and we wholeheartedly congratulate all successful colleagues. When we invited our 2025 cohort to share their stand-out experiences from their placement, the examples shared reflect the uniqueness of each journey. They also illustrate an impact which extends beyond the timespan of the placement and into each awardee’s long-term professional development.
Zala: A particularly memorable experience was visiting the NIHR office in Twickenham, London, where discussions with the CEI/PPIE team and learning about the operational aspects of CEI provided valuable insight into how global health research is shaped at a strategic level.
Presenting a poster at the Department of Health Sciences Research Showcase – focused on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) – was another great moment. Winning first place in the poster presentation was a BIG win.
Zala at the NIHR office (left) and winning 1st place in poster presentation at the Research Showcase Event (right)
Maria: I presented the purpose and planned outputs of my SPARC placement at a Global Health Network Meeting at the University of York. I later shared early findings at the Centre for IMPACT Annual Meeting 2025 in Mansehra, Pakistan.
I am now extending and sharing this learning back home. On 3rd February 2026, I facilitated an equity-oriented, people-centred pre-conference workshop at the 6th International Public Health Conference at Khyber Medical University, Peshawar. The session brought together students and early-career researchers from public health, dental public health, nutrition, and implementation science.
Reflections
Looking back, this placement was not just about developing a model or producing academic outputs. It was about learning how research can be done differently: more thoughtfully, more collaboratively, and more honestly.
Zala
We round up this article with some reflections; and, for Maria and Zala, the unique experiences culminate with shared significance.
Zala: What I didn’t anticipate was how deeply this placement would shape not only my academic direction, but also my confidence, networks, and sense of purpose.
Maria: The SPARC placement has strengthened how I approach research, teaching, and capacity building, and continues to shape my work in practical and meaningful ways.
Zala and Maria Ishaq Khattak with PhD scholars at the University of York
Many thanks to Zala and Maria for sharing their stories, which we hope you have enjoyed reading as much as we did. You can also read about the experiences of our 4th SPARC cohort in the article below.
NIHR has now launched applications for the 6th Cohort of their GHR SPARC Awards. The 2026 SPARC Awards will offer funding of up to £10,000 per applicant to undertake a bespoke placement at an NIHR organisation.
For all applications with the University of York as the contracting organisation (this includes both the Centre for IMPACT and SCIMITAR-SA), please ensure to check your emails for the application guidance; and best of luck with your application!
About the authors
Zala, Khyber Medical University
Zala is an emerging public health researcher at Khyber Medical University, Pakistan, and Programme Manager for the NIHR-UK funded COPE-BP programme. A triple Gold Medalist with over 10 peer-reviewed publications, she is developing expertise in implementation science and mixed methods with an inclusivity lens. Since 2019, she has contributed to over 20 research and development projects, served on the NIHR RIGHT Funding Committee, and co-founded AID International – a community based organisation supporting underserved people.
Maria Ishaq Khattak, Khyber Medical University
Maria is an Associate Professor at Khyber Medical University (KMU), where she works on community-based research, process evaluation, and health systems challenges in resource-constrained and climate-vulnerable settings. A central part of her work is supporting women researchers from the Global South, who remain under-represented in global health research and leadership. She actively mentors early-career women researchers and works to create inclusive research spaces where their contributions are recognised and valued.
