Funding opportunities

Africa Fellowship

The 5th round of the Africa Fellowship (details below) was advertised in 2004/5. The fellowship was suspended owing to a) applicants finding difficulty with obtaining visas and b) major funding constraints. While no new rounds are envisaged at present, Africa collaborations are regarded as a priority by the MRC. Interested parties are encouraged to email carole.roberts@mrc.ac.za and their feedback will be collated as motivation toward the fellowship's reinstatement at some future date.

The fellowship may be held in South Africa for non-South African applicants, or in any other African country for South African applicants.

The South African Medical Research Council (MRC) and the South African AIDS Vaccine Initiative offers a one-year travelling research fellowship in health research, with preference given to proposals which address the MRC's research priorities. The purpose of the one-year travelling Africa Fellowship is to build research capacity and strengthen research collaboration within Africa and between African scientists. The fellowship may be held in South Africa for non-South African applicants, or in any other African country for South African applicants. The award will cover the fellow's return travel from home to the host country, the fellow's salary (calculated on South African scales, in US$) in the host country, and reasonable research costs in the host country (link to full advert). For further information, please contact Ms Carole Roberts (carole.roberts@mrc.ac.za) in the Office of International Affairs.

Latest advertisement, for 2003/4

South African Medical Research Council and South African AIDS Vaccine Initiative Africa Fellowships.
The South African Medical Research Council (MRC) and the South African AIDS Vaccine Initiative (SAAVI) invites applications for one-year travelling research fellowships in health research, with preference given to proposals which address the MRC’s research priorities (see below) and particularly to those addressing HIV/AIDS research. While applications for shorter periods of three to twelve months may be considered, applications for the full twelve-month period are encouraged. The purpose of the fellowship is to build research capacity and strengthen research collaboration within Africa and between African scientists. The fellowship may be held in South Africa for non-South African applicants, or in any other African country for South African applicants. The award will cover the fellow's return economy airfare from home to host country, the fellow's salary (to a maximum of two hundred thousand South African rand) in the host country, and research costs (to a maximum of one hundred thousand South African rand) for research undertaken in the host country. Four such fellowships may be awarded. Applicants providing proof of a research doctorate or equivalent in a health related area including, health economics, nursing or public health will be considered. Applicants that do not hold a research doctorate or equivalent must have proven research capabilities.

They must be citizens of an African country, currently working in that country, and must be able to provide assurance that there is a position to return to in their home country on completion of the fellowship. The host institution must be a university or research institute, including research councils and government laboratories but excluding industrial laboratories. The host must be a member of staff of the host institution.

Application process: The application process is initiated by the submission of a preliminary application to the MRC. The preliminary application will be evaluated by an MRC nominating committee and successful preliminary applicants will be asked to submit a full application (in a prescribed format) that will be sent out for independent peer review. The MRC nominating committee will then make recommendations for the award of the fellowship based on the reports received from the independent external assessors. Successful applicants may commence work as soon as visa requirements have been fulfilled. The South African Department of Home Affairs requires applicants to apply in the category of visitors visa in terms of section 11(ii)(cc) of the Immigration Act, 2002 (Act No 13 of 2002). Applicants may not enter South Africa and apply from within the country, they must enter on the correct permit with the correct endorsement. The Department of Home Affairs has amended the above requirements, new details will be posted once management approval has been given for a 2004/5 advertisement.

To be considered for this fellowship, applicants must submit a preliminary application with the following information: full curriculum vitae of the visiting fellow and host researcher, including full publications lists and reliable telephone, cellular/mobile phone, fax and e-mail contact details, a letter of support from the host researcher, a letter from the home institution assuring a post to return to after completion of the fellowship, a 2-page project outline prepared in consultation with the host researcher, a preliminary budget in South African rand to cover the fellow’s salary, return airfare and reasonable research costs. In addition, three letters of support for the applicant must be submitted by the applicant’s referees under separate cover. Incomplete and/or late applications will not be considered.

MRC's research priorities: please refer to the following URL: http://www.mrc.ac.za/research/ourresearch.htm

The MRC's six National Programmes focus on: Molecules to Disease, Health Systems and Policy, Women and Child Health, Infection and Immunity, Non-communicable Diseases, Environment and Development. The Lead Programmes focus on: HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, Crime, violence and injury, Malaria, Genetics and Genomics.

Cross-cutting programmes: Ethics and human rights, Capacity Development, Culture and Indigenous Knowledge, Information and Knowledge Management, Health Promotion, Intellectual Property.

Deadlines: Deadlines given below were for the previous (fourth) round are are now out of date. New deadlines will be available as soon as the fifth round has been approved. Applicants must send a preliminary application to the MRC by Friday 31 October 2003. Incomplete and/or late applications will not be considered. Applicants will be notified of the outcome of the preliminary application by Friday 14 November 2003. The full application, in the prescribed format which will be sent with the invitation to submit a full application, must reach the MRC by Monday 5 January 2004. Applicants will be notified of the nominating committee's final decision by the end of March 2004.

Applications and queries must be sent to: Ms Carole Roberts by post, courier, e-mail or facsimile. Contact details: postal address: Medical Research Council, P O Box 19070, 7505 Tygerberg, South Africa. street address for hand/courier delivery: Medical Research Council, Francie van Zijl Drive, 7500 Parowvalley, South Africa, e-mail: carole.roberts@mrc.ac.za, fax: +27-21-938 0239, telephone +27-21-938-0359.

Incomplete and/or late applications will not be considered.