IDM-Africa Fellowship Programme 2026: Paid Infectious Disease Modelling Fellowship for African Researchers – Apply Before 30 October!
Overview
The IDM-Africa Fellowship Programme 2026 is a 12-month opportunity designed to strengthen expertise in infectious disease modelling across sub-Saharan Africa. Supported through the Global Health EDCTP3 Joint Undertaking, the initiative helps early-career and mid-career researchers develop mathematical and computational models to understand disease transmission, anticipate outbreaks, and inform public health decisions. Three fellowship positions are available in this recruitment round, consisting of two placements at the Infectious Diseases Institute and African Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Data-Intensive Sciences in Uganda, and one placement at ACE-Mali in Mali.
Who can apply
Applicants must be early-career or mid-career researchers affiliated with institutions in eligible sub-Saharan African countries within the EDCTP Association. Candidates must hold a master's degree or hold/pursue a PhD in a quantitative discipline or health-related field such as mathematics, statistics, biostatistics, physics, data science, bioinformatics, epidemiology, public health, infectious diseases, global health, or biomedical sciences.
Candidates must also have completed short-term training in infectious disease modelling, demonstrate practical modelling experience through workshops, projects, theses, or publications, and possess experience with programming languages or modelling platforms such as R, Python, or MATLAB. Additional requirements include the ability to manage datasets, formulate models, run simulations, interpret results, and access suitable project data. Applicants for the Uganda positions must be fluent in English, while the Mali position is intended for candidates from Francophone sub-Saharan African countries.
What you get
Successful fellows receive a monthly stipend throughout the 12-month period, alongside coverage for eligible publication fees. The programme also provides support for return economy-class air tickets, visa fees, travel insurance, on-site accommodation, and ground transportation during the mandatory initial placement. Additionally, participants receive structured expert mentorship and practical research experience through remote and in-person collaboration.
Requirements
The fellowship spans 12 months and begins with a one-month in-person placement at the designated host institution where participants spend 100% of their working time. The remaining 11 months involve online mentorship, requiring a commitment of approximately four hours per day, equivalent to 50% full-time equivalent. Fellows participate in mentor-mentee sessions at least once every two weeks, monthly peer-fellow meetings, regular progress reporting, and quarterly performance reviews.
Key dates
The application deadline is 30 October 2026 at 16:59 East Africa Time.