Africa Research Excellence Fund Research Development Fellowship Programme 2024/25; August 22 2024
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Introduction to Africa Research Excellence Fund Research Development Fellowship Programme 2024/25
About the Research Development Fellowship Programme
The aim of the Research Development Fellowship Programme is to provide opportunities for talented health researchers based in Africa, so that they can lead research that is responsive to its African settings and can contribute to reducing the burden of disease. It aims to develop emerging African scientists through developing their skills, experience, confidence and research outputs.
Fellowships offer awardees the opportunity to develop their own research ideas, research skills and capabilities, to grow their research relationships through collaboration and mentorship, and to work towards a substantial research funding proposal.
Programme Overview
Aim. To support researchers in Africa who are emerging leaders and working on important challenges for human health, to develop their skills as a researcher.
What it offers. A three to nine-month placement at a leading research institution in the UK, Europe or Africa, with additional support at your home institution before and after the placement. Up to £47,000 available.
Who is eligible?
Early career researchers. These are research active post-doctoral
scientists and clinicians with higher qualifications who are nationals of and employed in Africa (see detailed eligibility criteria).
How to apply.
Read the guidance documents carefully before developing your proposal and starting your application. Complete the application via the portal at
https://programmes.aref-africa.org.uk/
Applicants can submit only one application per call.
Deadline for submission of all application documents 13.00 hours GMT on 4 October 2024
Decisions. Applicants notified of the outcome of the application by end of April 2025.
Fellowships. Fellowships can start between July 2025 and December 2025.
Questions. Should you have any questions that are not contained in these guidelines, please email by 27 September 2024 (please see instructions below).
How to contact us. If you have any enquiries, contact AREF via the ‘Contact Us’ section on the portal which can be found on the lefthand panel on your homepage with your enquiry and you will receive a response within 5 working days.
If your enquiry is related to registering on the portal, please email us at
[email protected] with the title “Portal Registration” in your email.
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Africa Research Excellence Fund Research Development Fellowship Programme 2024/25 outline
The Fellowship enables researchers to undertake a combination of research training and professional development activities that contribute to the researcher journey. It comprises on the job training (including a small research project), networking and visits, developing collaborations, attending specialist training and an international conference.
Each Fellowship has the following components
• Preparatory period before the placement. A minimum of one month to a maximum of three months.
• Placement for research training and professional development at a centre of excellence in Europe or Africa. A minimum of three months to a maximum of nine months.
• Follow-up Period immediately after the Placement. A minimum of one month to a maximum of three months.
• Mentorship support for each fellow and their mentors.
• Intensive grant writing workshop programme.
• On completing the Fellowship, the opportunity to apply for further funding via AREF’s annual Seed Funding competition.
The maximum period for the whole Fellowship is 15 months broken down as follows:
• Maximum 3 month preparatory period
• Maximum 9 month placement
• Maximum 3 month follow up period
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Who can apply?
Eligibility
The RDF scheme focuses on Early-Career health Researchers (ECR) from Africa who plan to develop their research career in Africa and have the potential to become research leaders.
Applicants must demonstrate that they have chosen to focus their career on human health research and are progressing on the pathway to become, but are not fully established as, independent researchers, with the potential to lead research that is original and innovative. This can be demonstrated through their employment, training, research experience and outputs.
Nationality and residency
• Applicants must be a national of a country in Africa.
• Applicants need not be resident in Africa at the time of applying, provided that the application is officially supported by an African institution that meets the eligibility criteria for
an Employing Organisation which confirms that the applicant is employed locally.
Employment
Applications must be working at least 30% Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) in an active research role; and EITHER
a) have guaranteed employment with a legally established research organisation or a university in Africa for the duration of the Fellowship, or,
b) have guarantee of employment at a centre of research excellence outside Africa, and an honorary contract with a legally established research organisation or university in Africa for the duration of the Fellowship. They must spend at least 70% of their time based in Africa (this must be confirmed in the support letter from the institution in Africa).
Academic qualifications
Individuals with the following qualifications may apply:
1. Clinicians and non-clinicians with a PhD qualification or equivalent postgraduate degree (DPh/DPhil/MD) in a health-related subject from a recognised institution of higher education or,
2. Clinicians with a specialist clinical qualification. Must have an MBBS or equivalent and a specialist clinical qualification. Examples of specialist clinical qualifications are FRCP,
FWACP or equivalent or,
3. Clinicians with a Masters degree. Must have an MBBS or equivalent and the Masters must have contained a research component. We would expect a plan to gain a PhD or equivalent doctorate (although not funded as part of the AREF Fellowship).
*If you are currently pursuing a PhD, you must have defended your thesis and obtained your award or a letter of attestation from the institution that you passed your viva examination by the
deadline of the call (i.e., before 4 October 2024).
Research experience
While there is no clear definition of an ECR, we expect most ECRs will be within eight years of their research (normally PhD) qualification. However, we recognise that career pathways differ,
and your research career may have been interrupted, for example, you may have taken time off for caring responsibilities.
Applicants should:
• Have been research active for the majority of their post-doctoral career (post-Masters for clinicians), as evidenced by their employment history and research outputs.
• Have at least three years’ research experience, but normally not more than ten, with significant research outputs (most successful applicants have at least three first author publications).
• Not have won a substantial research grant equivalent to GBP £300,000 and above.
• Not have other significant research funding/fellowship commitments for the duration of the AREF fellowship. This is to ensure there is sufficient time to devote to the Fellowship (in the
region of 80% FTE for the duration of the placement).
Equality and diversity
• Equality and diversity are core values of AREF, and we encourage applications by scientists irrespective of gender, marital status, colour, race, creed or ethnicity.
• We strongly welcome eligible applicants from Francophone and Lusophone countries in Africa as well as from Anglophone countries of the region.
Language competency
• If you have less than one academic year of scientific training conducted in English, you will need to provide evidence with your application that you meet the standards of language competency required by the Host Organisation.
Previous AREF applicants and awardees
• Previous AREF Research Development Fellows and AREF-EDCTP Preparatory Fellows are not eligible for the current Programme.
• Participants at AREF workshops and researcher/leadership development programmes can apply if they meet the eligibility criteria.
• If you have previously applied for an AREF Research Development Fellowships or an AREF- EDCTP Preparatory Fellowship and it was unsuccessful, please contact us through the portal
before submitting an application.
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Application process
You should:
• All applications must be via the new AREF Portal system online. We will NOT accept any applications or supporting documents by email.
• Read the Guidance on Completing the Application Forms to understand the call and submission details.
• Consult academic and research support / management staff at the organisations involved at an early stage.
• Allow enough time for the application to be reviewed, approved and signed ahead of the deadline.
• Contact AREF if you have any queries using the “Contact Us” section on the portal preferably by 27 September 2024.
• Submit all application documents following instructions in Guidance on Completing the Application Forms.
• Apply before the deadline: 13.00 hours GMT on 4 October 2024
Please note
• We will NOT accept applications by email. We will only accept applications via the portal.
• We will not consider your application if:
o the application form is not completed properly or,
o the accompanying documents are not completed or,
o the application is received after the deadline.
• Applicants can submit only one application per call.
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