Developing Future Leaders in Health Assessment Research: Evaluation of interRAI’s inSPIRe Program

This article reports on the fourth interRAI Summer Program of International Research (inSPIRe), an intensive capacity-building initiative with a structured program, hosted at McMaster University in July 2024. Twenty-four delegates from 14 countries attended, representing diverse backgrounds in research, clinical practice, policy, and health informatics. The inSPIRe initiative aimed to foster understanding of interRAI's assessment systems, develop methodological skills, establish mentorship relationships, create opportunities for contribution to the interRAI consortium, and initiate global collaborations. All participants reported that the program met or exceeded their expectations, with significant benefits including access to comprehensive international datasets, engagement with experienced mentors, and effective knowledge translation between research and practice. Regional adaptations of the program have already emerged, demonstrating its scalability and impact beyond the initial intensive experience. The inSPIRe program represents an effective and flexible model for building global health services leadership and research capacity and capability, applicable internationally.