InciSioN Global · EDUCATION & CAPACITY BUILDING
Education builds the workforce.
The workforce builds surgical systems.
Equitable surgical care depends on people who can learn, teach, lead and adapt. InciSioN connects early-career professionals with opportunities for education, shared knowledge and workforce development—while highlighting accessible resources such as SURGhub.
A LEARNING SYSTEM, NOT JUST A COURSE LIST
Evidence, skills and systems thinking
Context-relevant and supervised practice
Peer learning and knowledge exchange
Education, advocacy and workforce development
WHY WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT MATTERS
Surgical education is a health-equity issue.
The global surgical workforce includes far more than surgeons. Safe, timely care depends on anaesthesia and obstetric professionals, nurses, perioperative teams, biomedical staff, emergency-care workers, educators and health-system leaders. Each needs opportunities to develop, maintain and share relevant knowledge.
01
Access
Geography, cost, connectivity and institutional resources can shape who is able to learn.
02
Relevance
Education must reflect local disease burdens, resources, professional roles and health-system realities.
03
Continuity
Learning continues beyond graduation through mentorship, evidence updates and professional development.
04
Translation
Useful learning must connect with supported practice, teams, quality improvement and institutional decisions.
Online courses support learning, but do not replace supervised clinical training, professional accreditation or investment in the health workforce.
OUR EDUCATION & WORKFORCE PRIORITIES
How InciSioN supports learning and capacity.
InciSioN approaches education as a part of surgical-systems strengthening: making knowledge understandable, building practical capacity and supporting the people who will shape services and policy. Different activities serve different purposes—and should not be conflated.
EDUCATION
Knowledge for the wider community
Accessible explainers, public teaching, shared learning opportunities and discussion of global surgery, health systems and related evidence.
CAPACITY BUILDING
From learning to action
Opportunities to apply research, communication, advocacy, management and programme skills within supported teams and local contexts.
FELLOWSHIPS & TRAINING
Structured development pathways
More focused training and development programmes, distinguished from general public education. Availability and eligibility are programme-specific.
PEER NETWORKS
Learning across settings
National Working Groups, shared experiences, mentorship and cross-disciplinary exchange that connect global learning with local priorities.
LEARNING RESOURCES · A PLATFORM WORTH EXPLORING
FEATURED EXTERNAL LEARNING PLATFORM
Better surgical learning should not depend on where you work.
SURGhub—the United Nations Global Surgery Learning Hub—brings together free, curated courses from expert education providers for people working in and alongside surgical care. Its approach helps learners discover useful material without searching across many disconnected institutions.
We highlight SURGhub as an independent external educational resource aligned with our interest in equitable surgical workforce development. InciSioN does not operate SURGhub or issue its course certificates.
SURGHUB · FEATURED RESOURCE
One learning platform. A global network of educators. Resources for the whole surgical team.
Informational spotlight · independent SURGhub programme
SURGHUB IN NUMBERS
A growing international learning community.
SURGhub reports substantial growth in access to curated learning. These indicators describe platform reach and participation, not verified clinical outcomes.
Source: SURGhub official About page. Figures reported as of 19 October 2026.
ORIGINS & EDUCATIONAL INNOVATION
From scattered resources to one learning hub.
SURGhub launched on 28 June 2023 with an initial collection of 27 courses. It was developed to address a practical problem: strong educational materials already existed, but could be difficult for many frontline professionals to find and use.
2023
Launch
The platform launched with 27 courses in surgery, anaesthesia, perioperative nursing, obstetrics and gynaecology.
2024
Digital recognition
SURGhub received a Times Higher Education award for technological or digital innovation.
2025
Research & recognition
A peer-reviewed development-and-rollout paper described its model; the platform also received QS Reimagine Education recognition.
2026
Expanded reach
SURGhub reported 140+ free courses and a growing community of learners across 219 countries and territories by October 2026.
Who is behind SURGhub?
A joint initiative of the Global Surgery Foundation (GSF) and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), supported by the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) and developed in association with the Johnson & Johnson Foundation. The platform is operated by GSF; course content comes from independent providers.
MORE THAN A DIGITAL COURSE LIBRARY
Why the model matters.
The innovation is not simply putting lectures online. It is the combination of curation, review, access-oriented technology and a network of providers that retain their educational identity.
01
One searchable catalogue
Expert materials from many institutions can be found in one place instead of across disconnected websites.
02
Structured quality review
The platform describes review of project scope, educational content and technical standards by expert committees.
03
Designed for connectivity constraints
Transcripts, compressed media, downloadable resources where offered and mobile access support flexible learning.
04
Multidisciplinary by design
Courses span surgery, anaesthesia, obstetrics, perioperative care and non-technical skills.
05
Provider ownership
Course creators retain ownership while gaining a route to broader international learners.
06
Peer-led discovery
The SURGhub Ambassador Programme helps students and professionals introduce others to appropriate learning opportunities.
FIVE CORE LEARNING AREAS
Learning for the whole surgical team.
Explore the catalogue according to your role, interests and prior training. Individual courses may have their own prerequisites, languages, duration and completion conditions.
01
Surgery
Surgical Foundations, burns, suturing, trauma and procedural learning.
02
Anaesthesia
Foundations, safety, critical-care recognition and specialist topics.
03
Obstetrics & gynaecology
Caesarean care, maternal safety, consent and postpartum haemorrhage.
04
Perioperative care
Patient preparation, infection prevention, nursing and safe recovery.
05
Non-technical skills
Communication, research, teamwork, leadership and engagement.
SELECTED COURSE EXAMPLES
Where could you start?
These are examples listed by SURGhub, not InciSioN-authored courses. Always confirm suitability and current availability on the official platform.
COURSE EXAMPLE
Surgical Foundations
A potential starting point for learners exploring essential surgical concepts.
COURSE EXAMPLE
Essential Burn Care
Focused learning relevant to burns and frontline care.
COURSE EXAMPLE
Essential Emergency and Critical Care
Links early recognition and management to safer clinical pathways.
COURSE EXAMPLE
Research Methodology Course
Supports research literacy and evidence generation in surgical health.
YOUR FIRST STEPS
Start with one useful course.
01
Create an account
Visit SURGhub and register or sign in for free.
02
Choose relevant learning
Search topics, providers and levels; check prerequisites.
03
Learn flexibly
Study at a suitable pace, using mobile or transcripts where available.
04
Document completion
Meet the specific course requirements and claim certificates where offered.
Certificates of completion document learning activities; they are not professional licences or independent evidence of clinical competence. Some courses may qualify for CPD/CME under applicable rules—not all.
ANOTHER WAY TO CONTRIBUTE
Help more people discover surgical learning.
Making education free does not automatically make it discoverable. SURGhub’s Ambassadors Programme is an optional volunteer pathway for people who want to help colleagues and communities find relevant training.
Ambassadors introduce the platform through student networks, workplaces and professional communities. The programme is run and administered by SURGhub, not InciSioN, and applying does not guarantee acceptance.
SHARE ACCESS · GROW OPPORTUNITY
A course can only help a learner who knows it exists.
Ambassadors expand awareness responsibly, connecting free resources with audiences who may find them useful—without misrepresenting participation as UN employment or clinical accreditation.
Apply
Sign in and apply through SURGhub’s official Ambassador page.
Review
SURGhub evaluates applications and communicates acceptance.
Orient
Accepted volunteers complete programme orientation.
Activate
Receive outreach materials and a personal referral link to share appropriately.
CHOOSE YOUR PATHWAY
Different ways to participate.
Not everyone needs the same opportunity. Choose the pathway that matches what you are trying to do.
LEARNER
Build your knowledge
Find and complete appropriate courses while integrating digital learning with local standards and supervised practice.
AMBASSADOR
Expand awareness
Help learners discover the platform through SURGhub’s separate volunteer outreach programme.
CONTENT PROVIDER
Share educational material
Institutions with existing expertise can explore contributing their own courses to SURGhub.
BEYOND TECHNICAL SKILLS · MULTIDISCIPLINARY LEARNING
Building the whole surgical team.
A capable surgical workforce is more than a collection of individual technical skills. Communication, situational awareness, leadership, safe handovers, teamwork, infection prevention and learning from experience all shape how surgical services function. These capabilities need deliberate attention alongside clinical education.
01 · COMMUNICATION
Brief, hand over, debrief
Create shared understanding across changing teams, professional roles and time-critical situations.
02 · TEAMWORK
Collaborate across disciplines
Recognise the contributions of nursing, anaesthesia, surgical, sterile-services and allied professionals.
03 · PATIENT SAFETY
Build safer processes
Strengthen understanding of surgical safety, infection prevention, quality improvement and human factors.
04 · PROFESSIONAL GROWTH
Learn, mentor, lead
Explore continuing education, research participation, peer exchange and leadership development.
FEATURED EXTERNAL PROFESSIONAL COMMUNITY
The Operating Room Global (TORG)
TORG is a multidisciplinary, not-for-profit professional platform connecting the people who make surgical and perioperative care possible. Its work spans education, webinars, research, patient safety, capacity building and international collaboration.
Unlike a single course catalogue, this model brings people into a wider learning and professional community. Its programmes are organised by TORG and are distinct from InciSioN’s own education activities.
DISCOVER TORG’S RESOURCES
From learning resources to a global professional network.
Explore TORG’s mission, recorded educational sessions, resource library and its own membership pathways. Individual opportunities and participation conditions are set by TORG.
Explore The Operating Room Global ↗
View webinars & replays ↗
Explore the TORG library ↗
TORG membership & opportunities ↗
SURGhub and TORG are independent organisations with different educational models and overlapping interests in safe surgical care. Featuring them here does not imply a formal partnership, co-delivery agreement or endorsement of all third-party content by InciSioN. Review course and resource suitability, permissions and professional requirements at the original source.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Questions worth answering clearly.
How does TORG differ from SURGhub?
SURGhub brings curated digital surgical education from multiple providers into one learning platform. TORG is a multidisciplinary professional community offering webinars, resources, research and development opportunities. Both are external to InciSioN, and neither replaces locally accredited training or supervised practice.
Is SURGhub an InciSioN programme?
No. InciSioN is highlighting an external learning resource. SURGhub is operated by the Global Surgery Foundation as a joint initiative with UNITAR.
Is SURGhub free?
Creating an account is free; the platform reports more than 140 free courses. Check each listing for the latest details.
Can non-surgeons benefit?
Yes. Topics and audiences include anaesthesia, obstetrics, nursing, perioperative care, research and non-technical skills. Prerequisites vary.
Are all courses available offline?
No universal offline guarantee should be assumed. SURGhub offers mobile learning and access-oriented features; check each course for download and connectivity requirements.
Does completing a course qualify me to perform a clinical procedure?
No. Certificates confirm course completion, not clinical competence, licensure or authorization to practise.
Are CME/CPD credits automatic?
No. Some courses may be eligible; learners should verify the course page and their local recognition rules.
Can I join the Ambassador Programme through InciSioN?
Applications are handled by SURGhub through its official Ambassadors page, with its own review and orientation process.
SOURCES & FURTHER LEARNING
Continue with the official resources.
Explore the original sources for course availability, the operational model, programme eligibility and evidence on platform development.
Editorial review: 28 October 2026. Course listings, participation figures and programme conditions may change. This is an InciSioN informational page, not an official SURGhub or UN webpage.
START WHERE YOU ARE
Your next learning opportunity may already be online.
Build knowledge, explore appropriate resources, and help connect others to learning that can support stronger surgical teams.