AREF Launches Excell Malaria Researcher & Leadership Development Programme
The Africa Research Excellence Fund (AREF) has opened applications for its Excell Malaria Programme 2025, designed to equip Africa’s top early-career malaria researchers with the leadership and professional skills needed to drive impactful health research.
Running from January 2026 to January 2028, the two-year programme will support 18 researchers from three African institutions, offering up to $50,000 USD per institution for capacity-building projects. Participants will engage in workshops, conferences, mentorship, and collaborative projects under five core learning themes: The Researcher as Leader, The Effective Researcher, The Compelling Applicant, The Researcher as Manager, and The Responsible Researcher.
Eligible applicants must be African nationals working in African institutions with 2–8 years of post-PhD research experience (or equivalent clinical research background). The programme welcomes malaria researchers from diverse disciplines, from laboratory science to public health, with a clear commitment to improving health outcomes in Africa.
📅 Application deadline: 15th October 2025
🔗 Apply here: programmes.aref-africa.org.uk
📢 Call to Action:
If you are an ambitious malaria researcher ready to lead groundbreaking work and make a lasting impact on health in Africa, start your institution’s nomination process today. Opportunities like this shape the next generation of African research leaders—don’t miss your chance to be one of them.