AREF Towards Leadership Programme 2026/2027 – YOA

Deadline: September 8, 2026

Applications are open for the AREF Towards Leadership Programme 2026/2027. The Africa Research Excellence Fund (AREF) Towards Leadership programme goals to empower gifted, rising scientists in Africa to compete efficiently for UKRI MRC and different main funding alternatives in world well being analysis. Together they’re investing in gifted African scientists in Africa, enhancing their world well being analysis and management potential.  

The programme will run in March 2027 consisting of two residential workshops (opening and shutting) and one digital workshop.

The curriculum is designed to assist have interaction and improve the contributors’ capabilities and to empower gifted, rising scientists in Africa to compete efficiently on a stage enjoying subject for UKRI MRC and different main funding alternatives in world well being analysis. The programme is directed in the direction of to successful grant funding, empowering efficient groups, collaborating internationally, influencing stakeholders, and constructing rewarding analysis careers.

Programme Outline

The Programme includes the next parts: 

• Three inspiring and sensible blended workshops at six-month-to-month intervals 
• Supplementary webinars, tutorials, and on-line assets 
• Baseline and finish-of-programme assessments and analysis 
• Collaboration between taking part people  

The Programme has the next themes tailor-made to fulfill the wants of every cohort: 

• The Researcher as a Leader specializing in studying & main in a fancy world; elevating the cohorts’ self-consciousness, and mindfulness whereas additionally constructing their teaching, affect, and management capabilities.  
• The Effective Researcher develops the person’s potential to check, plan and motion profession targets and improvement trajectory by means of private improvement planning, time administration, and mentorship. 
• The Researcher as a Communicator augmenting the person’s management, authorship & authority expertise by means of the usage of efficient displays, storytelling and messaging whereas refining their engagement with analysis customers. 
• The Compelling Applicant: Understanding funders. Proposal improvement and writing expertise: formulating a analysis query; justifying the design/technique; idea notes and full proposals. Data sharing. Understanding peer evaluate. Fellowship interviews. 
• The Researcher as a Manager: Building a fantastic group. Effective collaboration. Implementation planning. Working with Research Support and Finance departments. Managing a funds. Managing mental property. 

The 5 themes will likely be built-in throughout the three workshops. The stability of the curriculum will likely be decided by the participant’s wants. 

Costs

• The prices of the workshops and related lodging and journey of chosen nominees will likely be met by MRC and AREF.

Eligibility

• You are a citizen of a rustic in Africa. 
• You are presently employed in Africa by a recognised college and/or specialist analysis establishment.  
• You are an early profession researcher, having accomplished your analysis schooling and at the moment are on the early levels of main your personal analysis group. 
• You will maintain a analysis doctorate (PhD/DPhil/MD) from a recognised tutorial establishment OR you will have a medical/medical qualification PLUS a analysis-related Master’s diploma, each often inside the final 10 years. If it has been longer than 10 years since your final diploma, please clarify in your application why you need to nonetheless be thought-about an early profession researcher (i.e. caring duties or profession break/change impacting your analysis profession).
• You are presently chargeable for managing/supervising a number of analysis college students and/or analysis employees members and are concerned in constructing analysis collaborations. 
• You reveal proof of being on the early levels of main a analysis group or being an lively member of a analysis group conducting Global Health Research. 
• A major part of your present worker function is to develop and conduct well being analysis. 
• You have already got expertise in acquiring analysis funding (sometimes greater than £50,000 however should be lower than the mixed worth of £500,000).

Application

Click here to apply

For extra data, go to AREF Towards Leadership Programme.