A structured pathway for life-cycle-based learning

The evidence.academy offers three learning levels to support professionals and organisations working across the Life Cycle of Health Technologies 2.0.

The levels are designed to help learners choose the right starting point, develop capability over time and connect learning with their professional role, institutional context and responsibilities.

They do not represent academic degrees, regulated professional qualifications or formal EQF levels. Instead, they provide a transparent structure for describing the expected depth, complexity and practical orientation of each learning experience.

Foundation — Build a shared understanding
Advanced — Apply methods and tools in context
Expert — Lead, integrate and support learning across boundaries

How to choose a level

Choose your learning level based on your existing experience, your role and what you need to do after the course.

If you want to…	Start with
Understand the language, phases, roles and core concepts of the health-technology life cycle	Foundation
Apply a method, framework or tool to a real professional context	Advanced
Lead cross-functional work, connect perspectives or design an organisational approach	Expert
Refresh your understanding before moving into a new topic	Foundation
Deepen knowledge in a familiar field or take responsibility for a specific workstream	Advanced
Build capability across a team, organisation or network	Expert

A course page will state its intended level, target audience, prerequisites, learning objectives, estimated duration and relevant Life Cycle of Health Technologies 2.0 phase or phases.

Foundation

Build a shared understanding

Foundation courses introduce the terminology, roles, processes, methods and core questions relevant to a specific topic across the Life Cycle of Health Technologies 2.0.

They are designed for learners who are new to a subject, entering a new role, joining a cross-disciplinary team or looking to establish a common language with colleagues.

Foundation-level learning focuses on understanding rather than specialist performance. It creates a reliable basis for later application, discussion and collaboration.

At Foundation level, learners can typically:

• Identify key concepts, terms, actors and stages relevant to a topic.
• Describe the purpose and basic structure of a method, framework or process.
• Recognise how a topic relates to one or more phases of the Life Cycle of Health Technologies 2.0.
• Explain basic connections between health needs, innovation, evidence, implementation, use and reassessment.
• Recognise when further specialist expertise, guidance or escalation may be needed.
• Use shared terminology to communicate with colleagues from different professional backgrounds.

Foundation courses are suitable for:

• Professionals who are new to health technology assessment, horizon scanning, early awareness, implementation or reassessment.
• Researchers, healthcare professionals, policy professionals, innovators and administrators entering a new area of work.
• New members of cross-functional or international teams.
• Students and early-career professionals.
• Organisations seeking a common baseline of knowledge across diverse roles.

Typical learning formats

• Short self-paced e-learning modules.
• Introductory webinars.
• Guided reading and terminology resources.
• Orientation workshops.
• Foundational SCORM modules.

Example course titles

• Introduction to the Life Cycle of Health Technologies 2.0
• Foundations of Early Awareness and Horizon Scanning
• Understanding Evidence Generation Across the Life Cycle
• Introduction to Health Technology Reassessment
• From Health Needs to System Demand

Advanced

Apply methods and tools in context

Advanced courses build on an existing understanding of the topic and focus on applying methods, tools, concepts and structured approaches to realistic professional situations.

They are designed for learners who already work in a relevant field or who have completed Foundation-level learning. Advanced courses move beyond recognising and describing concepts: learners analyse situations, select appropriate approaches and use methods within a defined professional context.

Advanced-level learning helps bridge the gap between knowledge and practice.

At Advanced level, learners can typically:

• Apply relevant methods, tools or frameworks to a defined question, case or organisational context.
• Analyse how evidence needs differ across stages of the health-technology life cycle.
• Compare alternative approaches and identify relevant strengths, limitations and trade-offs.
• Interpret evidence, data or structured information in relation to a specific decision context.
• Identify relevant stakeholders, interfaces and dependencies across processes or organisations.
• Develop a justified approach, work plan, assessment question or implementation strategy.
• Communicate findings and limitations clearly to colleagues, partners or decision-support processes.

Advanced courses are suitable for:

• Professionals with practical experience in HTA, horizon scanning, health policy, research, regulation, implementation, procurement, reimbursement or health-service delivery.
• Course participants who have completed relevant Foundation modules.
• Team members responsible for a defined workstream, project or methodological task.
• Analysts, researchers, programme managers, policy advisers and implementation professionals.
• Organisations seeking consistent application of a shared method or toolkit.

Typical learning formats

• Case-based online modules.
• Facilitated workshops.
• Practical exercises and structured templates.
• Guided peer discussion.
• SCORM modules with scenario-based learning.
• Blended learning pathways combining self-study and live sessions.

Example course titles

• Applying Horizon Scanning Methods in a National or Regional Context
• Developing an Early Evidence Strategy for Emerging Health Technologies
• Using Prioritisation Criteria to Identify Technologies for Assessment
• Planning for Implementation and Service Readiness
• Using Real-World Evidence in Health Technology Reassessment

Expert

Lead, integrate and support learning across boundaries

Expert courses are designed for experienced professionals who lead, coordinate, design or significantly influence work across disciplines, organisations or stages of the health-technology life cycle.

They focus on complex, context-sensitive challenges that require learners to integrate specialised knowledge, work with uncertainty, engage multiple stakeholder perspectives and support coherent action across institutional boundaries.

Expert-level learning does not imply that participants become “experts” merely by attending a course. Rather, it is intended for learners who already bring substantial professional experience and who need advanced learning to strengthen leadership, methodological integration, strategic practice or organisational capability.

At Expert level, learners can typically:

• Integrate evidence, methods and stakeholder perspectives across multiple life-cycle stages.
• Design or adapt a methodological, organisational or governance approach for a complex context.
• Lead structured dialogue across public authorities, HTA bodies, research, healthcare, innovation and other relevant stakeholders.
• Evaluate trade-offs, uncertainty, evidence gaps and implementation implications.
• Develop strategies for knowledge transfer, learning loops, reassessment or responsible adaptation of practice.
• Support capability building within teams, organisations or networks.
• Critically reflect on the limits, assumptions, transferability and equity implications of established approaches.
• Contribute to the development, refinement or implementation of methods, tools or collaborative processes.

Expert courses are suitable for:

• Senior professionals and leaders in HTA, early awareness, horizon scanning, health policy, implementation, evidence generation, regulation or reimbursement.
• Programme directors, heads of unit, senior advisers, principal investigators and methodological leads.
• Leaders of cross-functional, cross-organisational or international initiatives.
• Professionals responsible for developing institutional approaches, governance processes or training programmes.
• Experienced members of the EuroScan / i-HTS community and related professional networks.

Typical learning formats

• Advanced facilitated workshops.
• Case clinics and expert roundtables.
• Peer learning and moderated cross-organisational exchange.
• Applied assignments connected to a participant’s own setting.
• Institutional capability-development programmes.
• Bespoke or cohort-based learning pathways.

Example course titles

• Designing a Life-Cycle-Based Early Awareness and Reassessment System
• Building Learning Loops Between HTA, Implementation and Real-World Evidence
• Leading Cross-Functional Evidence-Informed Health Technology Pathways
• Governance for Responsible Adoption, Adaptation and Disinvestment
• Developing Institutional Capability for Life-Cycle-Based Decision Support

Learning outcomes and assessment

The evidence.academy describes learning through clear learning outcomes. These state what a learner is expected to know, understand and be able to do after completing a course.

Learning outcomes may address:

Dimension	What it means at the evidence.academy
Knowledge	Understanding key concepts, evidence, processes, roles, standards and terminology
Skills	Applying methods, using tools, interpreting information, analysing cases and communicating findings
Competence	Using knowledge and skills responsibly in professional settings, with appropriate autonomy, judgement and collaboration

This approach is aligned with the European Qualifications Framework’s distinction between knowledge, skills and competence.publications.

The type of assessment, if any, is stated on the relevant course page. Depending on the course, this may include:

• Knowledge checks or quizzes.
• Scenario-based questions.
• Practical exercises.
• Case analyses.
• Reflective assignments.
• Participation in a facilitated workshop.
• Completion of required modules.
• Applied work connected to the learner’s professional setting.

A course may issue a certificate of completion when the published requirements have been met. A certificate of completion is not an academic degree, professional licence, regulatory approval or automatically recognised professional qualification.

Short learning experiences can be described as micro-credentials only where the associated learning outcomes are assessed against transparent standards and supported by appropriate quality assurance.

Learning pathways for organisations

Organisations can combine the three levels into a coherent capability-development programme.

A typical pathway may include:

Stage	Organisational objective	Suggested format
Foundation	Create a shared language and common understanding across teams and functions	Self-paced e-learning, introductory webinars, baseline workshops
Advanced	Apply common methods and tools in relevant workstreams or projects	Facilitated workshops, case-based SCORM modules, group exercises
Expert	Strengthen strategic integration, governance and cross-functional leadership	Expert workshops, case clinics, tailored institutional programmes

Learning pathways can be adapted to the organisation’s role in the health-technology ecosystem, existing capability, strategic priorities, relevant policy environment and preferred delivery format.

Important note on progression

The three levels are a guide, not a rigid hierarchy.

A learner may have Expert-level experience in one field and require Foundation-level orientation in another. For example:

• An experienced HTA professional may begin at Foundation level when learning a new horizon-scanning method.
• A senior researcher may take an Advanced course on implementation or reimbursement.
• A policy leader may use Foundation courses to develop shared language before joining an Expert-level institutional workshop.

The best level is the one that matches the learner’s existing knowledge, intended role and practical purpose.