Africa Union/EDCTP Fellowship 2020 for outbreak and epidemic response in sub-Saharan Africa

Application Deadline: July 30th 2020

As a specialised technical agency of the Africa Union, Africa CDC operates through a framework focused on harnessing regional resources (all five African regions); the Regional Integrated Surveillance and Laboratory Network (RISLNET) in order to carry out its mandate and achieve the strategic pillars (public health emergency preparedness and response, surveillance and disease intelligence, information systems, laboratory systems and networks, and public health research and institutes) through the National Public Health Institutes (NPHIs). Effective implementation of these strategic pillars depends on the efficiency of the NPHIs and/or affiliated agencies, such as academic institutions in Member States. 

The Africa CDC has also developed a framework for public health workforce development. Building on numerous investments already made by EDCTP and its partners in sub-Saharan Africa for disease outbreak preparedness and response, this partnership between EDCTP and Africa CDC will further enhance the public health workforce capacity in NPHIs and National Ministries of Health to better enable them to respond timely to disease outbreaks. 

Scope
The purpose of this Call for Proposals is to establish an African cohort of epidemiologists by supporting institutions in sub-Saharan Africa and Europe that provide master’s training in epidemiology and biostatistics, as part of the Africa CDC’s framework for public health workforce development. Master’s courses with practical field research experience is the preferable level of training as it is relatively short and likely to deliver the required numbers and high-quality fit-for-purpose calibre of personnel that are urgently needed in epidemic zones of sub-Saharan Africa.

Proposals can be submitted by a single institution or consortium of institutions which must provide master’s training in epidemiology for 10 to 15 excellent, early- to mid-career researchers (“EPI Fellows”) based in sub-Saharan Africa and working in a relevant field. The EPI fellows must commit to remain in Africa for a minimum of two years after completing their studies and provide evidence to demonstrate this through a letter of support from their host institution.

Proposals should include institutions with a proven track record in the provision of high-quality master’s training with clear local and regional collaborations with NPHIs (or similar agencies), Ministries of Health and other academic institutions. Proposals must demonstrate the following:

• A high-quality master’s programme in epidemiology and biostatistics relevant to infectious diseases of importance in sub-Saharan Africa.
• An open, fair and transparent procedure for selecting EPI Fellows based in different geographical regions of Africa, and with appropriate gender balance, for entry into the master’s programme.
• Robust mentorship and supervision mechanisms to support EPI Fellows through to timely successful course completion.
• The master’s programme must include a research component, which must be conducted in a country in sub-Saharan Africa, in collaboration with local or regional NPHIs (and/or affiliated agencies) or Ministries of Health.

Proposals should also include support for meetings and conferences for the trainees to participate in an annual networking meeting organised by Africa CDC, as well as the biennial EDCTP Forum.  Tuition fees, enrolment fees or other types of university charges are not eligible for reimbursement by EDCTP.

Due to the extraordinary global crisis of COVID-19 that is also affecting African countries, this topic should also be considered by applicants.

The proposed action should start no later than 1 October 2021 and must be completed before the end of 2024.

Expected impact
Projects funded under this call for proposals should:

• Increase the number of skilled infectious disease epidemiologists working in Africa.
• Enhance research capacity in epidemiology across Africa.
• Encourage trans-national cooperation between epidemiologists in Africa and with Africa CDC.
• Strengthen the ability of African countries to prepare for and to manage epidemic disease outbreaks.
• Promote the career development and retention of postdoctoral and postgraduate researchers in Africa
• Contribute towards the achievement of SDG3 ‘Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages’.
• Enhance research capacity in poverty-related diseases and in clinical trials across Africa.

Ultimately these grants will contribute to the generation of a critical mass of epidemiologists and biostatisticians and institutional research capacity in sub-Saharan Africa.

Eligibility
A proposal/application will only be considered eligible if:

1. its content corresponds, wholly or in part, to the topic/contest description for which it is submitted
2. it complies with the eligibility conditions for participation set out below, depending on the type of action:
   • The application must have at least one legal entity established in a Participating State* or a sub-Saharan African country.
   • The maximum duration of the grant is 36 months
   • The maximum duration of the master’s programme is 30 months (including research component).
   • The requested EDCTP contribution per action should not exceed EUR 50,000 per student, with a maximum total budget of EUR 750,000.***

Notes

* The Participating States (European Partner States) are Austria, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.

** The following sub-Saharan African countries: Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo (Democratic People’s Republic), Congo (Republic), Côte d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Eswatini, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

*** The requested EDCTP contribution per action should not exceed EUR 50,000 per student, with a maximum total budget of EUR 750,000. The cost per student should include student scholarships/fellowships, research costs (if applicable), conference/travel, and administrative costs.

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the Africa Union/EDCTP Fellowship 2020