Overview

Many public health programmes in low- and middle-income countries “are data rich but information poor” implying that much data is generated at a country level but the full potential to use these data to inform improvements in public health is rarely achieved.

The Structured Operational Research and Training IniTiative (SORT IT) seeks to make countries “data-rich, information-rich and action-rich” thereby contributing to improving health care delivery and outcomes. SORT IT is a global partnership coordinated by TDR and implemented with partners. SORT IT supports countries and institutions to: conduct operational research around their own priorities; build sustainable operational research capacity; and make evidence-informed decisions for improving programme performance. Participants conduct operational research on various topics such as multidrug-resistant tuberculosis, malaria, HIV/AIDS, neglected tropical diseases, maternal and child health, outbreaks and emergencies, antimicrobial resistance and noncommunicable diseases.

Key facts

Since 2009, the SORT IT initiative has enrolled 1015 participants from 94 countries .

SORT IT outputs and coverage

Since 2009, the SORT IT initiative has enrolled 1015 participants from 94 countries . Close to 90% complete all milestones and publish in a peer-reviewed scientific journal with 68% of studies self-reporting to have contributed to a change on policy and/or practice. Publications included 53 journals (impact factor 0.4-19), were done in five languages with individuals from LMICs constituting 94% of first authors, 93% of corresponding authors and 62% of last authors. 43% of first authors were women.

To ensure quality of evidence, TDR routinely assesses the quality of reporting of SORT IT publications according to international standards. The last assessment showed that 90% of publications (n-392) involving 72 countries, and 24 thematic areas showed excellent reporting quality.

View SORT IT coverage map

SORT IT approach

SORT IT targets implementers such as doctors, nurses, paramedical officers, data analysts, and programme officers, often with little or no prior research experience. Participants undergo training and conduct their research simultaneously. Each participant uses a relevant research project to learn the practical skills of how to write a study protocol, how to ensure quality-assured data capture and analysis, how to publish in a peer-reviewed journal and how to use the study findings to foster evidence-informed decision-making in public health. Participants must achieve milestones to move from one stage to the next and SORT IT courses are expected to achieve targets. Participants are supported with hands-on mentorship provided by experienced mentors.

Classic structure and milestones for a SORT IT course

Module 1: Operational research and protocol development
Milestone 1: Submission of protocol and the ethical review form within three weeks of completing module 1
Module 2: Quality-assured data entry and analysis
Milestone 2: Submission of the data documentation sheets within two weeks of completing module 2
Milestone 3: Submission of proof of study completion and data collection about six weeks before module 3
Module 3: Scientific manuscript writing
Milestone 4 Submission of a paper to a peer-review journal within four weeks of end of module 3
Module 4: Effective research communication for decision makers
Milestone 5: Submission of a stakeholder map, evidence brief, power point presentations and elevator pitch within two weeks of completing module 4

Target scores for a SORT IT course
Indicator Target
Aggregate participant satisfaction score for each module 80%
Participants complete all course milestones 80%
Papers published within 12 months of submission 80%
Papers assessed for effects of policy and practice within 15 months of submission 80%

Indicator	Target
Aggregate participant satisfaction score for each module	80%
Participants complete all course milestones	80%
Papers published within 12 months of submission	80%
Papers assessed for effects of policy and practice within 15 months of submission	80%

The SORT IT cycle

The AMR- SORT IT project is geared to catalyze the evidence-to-action cycle from defining the most relevant research in countries to ensuring uptake of research findings. We train those who are embedded and retained within health systems and seek to enable the structures and processes needed for evidence-informed decision-making. SORT IT thus embraces the ‘Train, Embed, Retain and Enable’ strategy for individuals working within health systems. This approach is in line with WHO’s Thirteenth General Programme of Work, 2019–2023.

View SORT IT cycle

SORT IT recognition

SORT IT is unique in being adaptable, output-oriented, striving for gender balance and having built-in metrics for accountability. It has been recognized by a DFID independent evaluation and by ESSENCE good practice guidelines. Several WHO documents refer to SORT IT including the World Health Report 2013, the Global action framework for TB research and the WHO European Action plan to strengthen the use of evidence for policy-making. Several NGOS and academic institutions have adopted the SORT IT approach.

SORT IT collaborating institutions

Institutions that jointly secure funding with TDR or co-implement SORT IT courses under the direct oversight of TDR shall be recognized as SORT IT Collaborating Institutions during the biennium.

For the official list of SORT IT Collaborating Institutions for the current biennium, please contact the TDR focal point:

Dr. Rony Zachariah

SORT IT for participants

You can expect to complete your research in about a year, develop a manuscript ready for submission to a peer-reviewed journal. SORT IT has a web-based alumni network that links up all SORT IT participants. Furthermore, alumni who are embedded within disease control programmes and/or NGOs also have an opportunity to become operational research fellows and can pursue a PhD using their operational research work.

Participant eligibility criteria

Participant selection is guided by eligibility criteria which include the following:

Must be actively involved in a disease control programme at the national, state, NGO, or health institution level.
Outline a half-page of text that a) describes a relevant problem that the candidate has identified within a given programme and b) formulates a research question that is proposed to be developed into an operational research project. Please note that research questions using routine programme data are preferred.
Provide a written statement from the programme manager or relevant authority confirming the relevance of the research question and granting the applicant permission to have time and opportunity to carry out and publish his/her operational research.
Must provide written commitment to attend all modules of SORT IT, return to their programme or institution after the course and implement course knowledge at programme level for a minimum of 18 months.
Provide a written statement from a mentor (if available) or referee describing how the mentor knows the candidate and if he/she will be suitable for the course.
If applicable, the ability to mobilize the funding required to carry out the operational research.
Master of Public Health (MPH) or an equivalent, or a strong recommendation.
Fluent in written and spoken English and/or the language of the course.
Computer literate.

SORT IT for interested organizations

Expand operational research capacity with SORT IT

SORT IT is growing—expanding into new regions, addressing emerging public health priorities, adopting more complex study designs, and piloting innovative delivery methods. Through its collaborative model, SORT IT actively promotes partnerships, national leadership, and sustainable research capacity strengthening.

Organizations and institutions can support these tailored training opportunities by partnering with Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR) to sponsor and host SORT IT workshops.

By collaborating with TDR, organizations can:

-address operational and implementation research priorities aligned with the TDR Strategy 2024–2029
-build institutional and national operational research capacity
-train new SORT IT facilitators
-strengthen evidence-informed public health practice
-bring internationally recognized operational research expertise to their institution or country

Criteria for SORT IT courses and use of logos

1. TDR-led and/or TDR-funded (or co-funded) courses

These SORT IT programs fully comply with TDR standards, methodologies, and quality assurance processes. These courses are officially endorsed and may carry both the TDR and SORT IT logos. Participants will also receive certificates bearing the TDR logo.

2. Institution-led courses with TDR oversight

These courses are independently organized and funded by partner institutions, with direct oversight provided by one or more TDR-recognized mentors. To ensure compliance with SORT IT quality standards, the following support is required:

-Coverage of mentor travel costs and mentor time for 5 days per module (equivalent to 20 days for a four-module cycle).
-An estimated minimum of 5 mentor days per course cycle (approximately 12–15 months) dedicated to monitoring, evaluation, metrics, and overall quality assurance.

These courses are officially endorsed and may carry both the TDR and SORT IT logos. Participants will also receive certificates bearing the TDR logo.

3. Institution-led courses without TDR oversight

These courses are organized and funded independently by partner institutions. They cannot be called SORT IT courses, as TDR does not oversee quality or take responsibility for these programs. Use of TDR or SORT IT logos is not permitted. All other institutions that run operational research courses As TDR does not supervise or guarantee the quality of these programs.They cannot be presented as official SORT IT courses, and the use of the TDR and/or SORT IT logos is not permitted.

4. Applications for funding of SORT IT courses

Organizations seeking funding for SORT IT activities and aspiring to meet TDR–SORT IT standards are encouraged to engage with TDR at an early stage. Early collaboration helps ensure:

-oversight of quality and adherence to standards
-timely review of eligibility for the use of TDR and/or SORT IT branding and logos
-appropriate coordination and technical support where applicable

Where World Health Organization country offices, TDR-supported regional training centers or WHO collaborating centres are involved, engagement with TDR is mandatory, as TDR hosts the SORT IT Secretariat within WHO.

SORT IT online resources

Publications from SORT IT courses The list contains details of 872 papers from SORT IT courses published between 2009 and September 2023

AMR-SORT IT evidence summaries

SORT IT lectures

PubMed search

Reference management

Flyers

Infographic

Building sustainable operational research capacity to tackle antimicrobial resistance

Infographic

Building sustainable operational research capacity to improve public health

Videos

19 November 2023

Creating impact: SORT IT

24 January 2023

SORT IT - Communicating research findings with impact

Watch technical presentation

How findings from operational research convinced policy-makers in Sierra Leone to contribute more resources for improving monitoring of antimicrobial use in the agricultural sector, presented by Dr Amara Leno.

AMR SORT IT

Tackling antimicrobial resistance

Neglected tropical diseases: Bridging the research gap in Ethiopia for universal health coverage

News

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31 October 2025

News release

One Health AMR research sparks health policy and practice changes in Ghana

11 June 2025

News release

Boosting leadership and frontline capacity to tackle mpox in Sierra Leone

24 September 2024

News release

Mpox response: Building resilience through public health research capacity

27 September 2021

News release

Operational research to tackle antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Colombia and Ecuador

11 June 2020

News release

Strengthening the national health research capacity builds resilience to disease epidemics

6 August 2021
12 participants from the surveillance and research institutions of the government of Colombia and Ecuador completed two training modules of the Operational Research course to tackle antimicrobial resistance (AMR)
Read more in English or Spanish

Watch

1 November 2021

e-SORT IT platform

Interested in establishing or supporting SORT IT?

General information, contact Dr Rony Zachariah: zachariahr@who.int

TDR Global profile

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4 April 2024

Amara Leno

25 May 2021

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