Summer School returns with four course offerings in 2026, led by local and international experts. Full details are available on our courses webpage. 

Causal Inference with Hidden Confounding
Prof Eric J. Tchetgen Tchetgen

This workshop will focus on modern methods for causal identification and inference from observational data and imperfect randomized trials subject to confounding by hidden factors.

Date: Friday 13th February

Registration: Standard $540, Student $390

Implementing the Estimand Framework in Clinical Trials

A/Prof Sabine Braat, Dr Anneke Grobler

At the end of this course you will be familiar with the estimand framework for clinical trials. You will understand the elements of the estimand, including intercurrent events and the five suggested strategies for handling intercurrent events.  You will understand how to analyse trials using some of these strategies.

Date: Monday 16th February

Registration: Standard $540, Student $390

Pairwise and Network Meta-analysis: Fundamentals and Beyond

A/Prof Areti-Angeliki (Argie) Veroniki, A/Prof Emily Karahalios, Prof Joanne McKenzie

Standard (pairwise) meta-analysis enables the statistical synthesis of data from multiple studies to obtain a single combined estimate of a treatment effect. Network meta-analysis is an extension to pairwise meta-analysis that allows for the comparison of multiple competing interventions that form a connected network of studies. Many of the methods for pairwise and network meta-analysis are commonplace but new methods continue to emerge. For example, new methods continue to be proposed for synthesizing data for rare outcomes, and network meta-analysis of multi-component interventions.

The workshop is divided into two days. Interested persons can register for one or both days.

Dates: Tuesday 17th and Wednesday 18th February

Registration: Both days: Standard $1020, Student $740 

Single day: Standard $540, Student $390

[Updated Jan 2026] Cluster randomised trials: the essentials

Prof Jessica Kasza, Prof Andrew Forbes

In this workshop you will learn about the fundamentals of cluster randomised trial designs: learning when they are appropriate; which designs are best suited to what settings; how to analyse data from these designs; and how to plan these designs (including how you can use simulation to investigate properties of designs). You’ll also learn about issues that can impact the interpretation of results from cluster randomised trials (e.g. informative cluster size), and about more flexible variants of standard design types (e.g. staircase designs, the batched stepped wedge and repeated inclusion cluster randomised trials) which can make infeasible trials feasible.

Date: Thursday 19th February

Registration: Standard $540, Student $390

Course details are available on our website, and Registration is open via Trybooking

Location: All courses will be held at the University of Melbourne, "The Spot" Building. While in-person attendance is highly recommended, we are also offering online attendance (via Zoom) for those unable to be there in person.

For any enquiries please contact vicbiostat@mcri.edu.au