AREF Opens Leadership Programme for African Scientists
The Africa Research Excellence Fund is accepting applications until September 8, 2026, for its Towards Leadership Programme.
Applications for the AREF Towards Leadership Programme 2026/2027 are now open, with a deadline of September 8, 2026. The programme, run by the Africa Research Excellence Fund (AREF) with support from the UKRI Medical Research Council (MRC), is designed to let emerging African scientists to compete for significant global health research funding.
The programme will commence in March 2027. It features a blended format of two residential workshops and one virtual workshop held at six-month intervals. According to the organisers, all workshop costs, including associated travel and accommodation for selected participants, will be covered by MRC and AREF.
Programme Structure and Themes
The curriculum is built around five core themes integrated across the three workshops. The balance of the content will be tailored to the specific needs of the selected cohort.
The Researcher as a Leader focuses on self-awareness, mindfulness, and building coaching and influence capabilities. The Effective Researcher theme develops skills in personal career planning, time management, and seeking mentorship.
The Researcher as a Communicator aims to augment leadership and authority through effective presentation and storytelling techniques. A core component, The Compelling Applicant, is dedicated to understanding funders, developing proposals, and navigating peer review and fellowship interviews.
Finally, The Researcher as a Manager covers team building, collaboration, implementation planning, and financial management, including working with institutional support departments.
Eligibility Criteria
The opportunity is targeted at early-career researchers based at African institutions. The source lists specific eligibility requirements that all applicants must meet.
| Eligibility Criteria | Requirement Details |
|---|---|
| Citizenship & Employment | Must be a citizen of an African country and currently employed in Africa by a recognised university or research institution. |
| Career Stage | Must be an early-career researcher leading or actively building their own research group. |
| Qualifications | Must hold a research doctorate (PhD/DPhil/MD) or a medical/clinical qualification plus a research Master's degree, typically within the last 10 years. |
| Management Role | Must currently manage or supervise research students or staff and be involved in building collaborations. |
| Research Focus | A significant part of the current role must involve developing and conducting health research, specifically in the global health field. |
| Funding Experience | Must have prior experience obtaining research funding, typically more than £50,000 but less than £500,000 in combined value. |
Applicants whose last degree was completed more than ten years ago are instructed to explain in their application why they should still be considered early-career, citing reasons such as caring responsibilities or a career break.
Application Process
The programme aims to create a level playing field for African scientists seeking major grants like those from UKRI MRC. Supplementary webinars, tutorials, and online resources will support the core workshop sessions. Baseline and end-of-programme assessments will be conducted to evaluate progress.
Collaboration between participating individuals is a stated key element of the programme. Interested researchers can find more information and apply through the official AREF Towards Leadership Programme webpage. The final residential workshop is scheduled for six months after the virtual mid-programme session.
