AREF 2023 Women in Research Essential Grant Writing Skills Programme

The Africa Research Excellence Fund (AREF) works to strengthen the health research capacity of scientists in Africa who are engaged in tackling the continent’s significant health challenges. We recognise the need to support a diverse community of scientists across Africa, therefore, this call is specifically open to female biomedical/health researchers.

AREF is calling for applications from women who are active, emerging biomedical/health researchers in Africa to participate in its Essential Grant Writing Skills Programme.  To fully benefit from this Programme you will be at a stage in your research career where you are actively seeking independent funding, but have yet to secure that big grant necessary to support your research independence.

This fully on-line programme will be held over eight 3-hour sessions during the weeks of 18th September 2023 and 6th November 2023.  There will be a five-week break in between the two sessions, where you will be expected to write a draft proposal.  This is an intensive programme that is designed to produce tangible progress towards a grant proposal by the end of the Programme. Your commitment to the entire Programme and to the additional work outside of sessions will be necessary to achieve these outcomes.

Eligibility Criteria

• You are a woman health researcher/scientist
• You are a citizen of a country in Africa.
• EITHER you have been awarded a research doctorate (PhD/DPhil/MD) from a recognised academic institution within the previous 6 years, i.e. awarded on or after 01 January 2017); OR you have a medical/clinical qualification plus a research-relevant Master’s degree awarded within the previous 6 years.
• AND you are currently employed in Africa by a recognised university and/or specialist research institution.
• You have not participated already in equivalent proposal development / grant-writing training.
• A significant part of your current employee role is to develop and conduct health research.
• You do not already have a significant portfolio of international research grants (Combined value of £250,000 or more).

Aim and Benefits of AREF Women in Research Essential Grant Writing Skills Programme

Aim:

• The Programme aim is to enable talented women early-career health and health-related researchers to build skills to develop their own research and fellowship proposals of the quality required to win competitive international, regional and national funding.

Programme will cover:

• Developing and expressing your unique research niche
• Formulating a compelling research question
• Understanding funders’ requirements
• Writing in plain English
• Writing the different sections of a proposal
• Key parts of a typical Case for Support / Project Description
• Planning your proposed project and budget
• Principles of managing and collaborating with a team
• Understanding and practicing peer review

Process

Your application will be assessed in terms of your capacity to benefit from the training, using the following kinds of evidence:

• Your research experience, outputs and other achievements as an emerging researcher up to now.
• How you will use the training to achieve your personal vision for your development as a scientist who can address key health challenges important to Africa.
• How you will “cascade”, i.e. to pass on, the knowledge and skills you have gained from the Programme
• Practical support committed by your sponsor(s) or mentor(s).
• Adequate ability to understand and communicate in English.

Programme participants will be shortlisted from the eligible applicants by reviewers using these criteria.  Only applicants who meet the capacity to benefit criteria will be on the shortlist, from which the final selection will be made.

Apply Here

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