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The Africa Research Excellence Fund is pleased to launch the call for the 2025/26 AREF Research Development Fellowship Programme.
Opportunity Details
The Africa Research Excellence Fund is pleased to launch the call for the 2025/26 AREF Research Development Fellowship Programme.
They 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. A three to nine-month placement at a leading research institution in the UK, Europe or Africa, with additional support at their home institution before and after the placement.
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.
Note that it is essential that you discuss your plans for an AREF Fellowship in the context of your career development with appropriate leaders within your Employing Organisation and Host Organisation at an early stage. You need your sponsors and other senior people to agree and support your plans.
AREF does not reimburse your Employing Organisation for your salary while you are away on placement: they do, however, support reasonable accommodation, travel and subsistence, and training costs.
Up to £47,000 available
This is open to early career researchers. These are research active post-doctoral scientists and clinicians with higher qualifications who are nationals of and employed in Africa.
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 Master’s degree. Must have an MBBS or equivalent and the Master’s 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).
Note: 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 27 June 2025).
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 of young children or elderly parents.
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).
Applicants will be notified of the outcomes of their applications by December 2025.
Successful Fellowships can start between June 2026 and no later than December 2026.
For further questions, reach out to them via this contact
This information will guide you on how to complete your application
Apply for Africa Research Development Fellowship