The SOuthern aFrica Research cApacity netwoRk (SOFAR) will train a generation of innovative world class and resilient African scientists, clinicians and public health professionals facilitated by a partnership of two higher education institutions (HEIs) in Europe and three African Partner Research Institutions (APRIs) with proven track records of research excellence.

 

SOFAR will train 4 MSc, 6 PhD fellows in high quality and relevant infectious disease research combining taught content with practical experience, and support 5 post-doctoral researchers in conducting high quality infectious disease research on a pathway to establish themselves as independent researchers thus contributing to the generation of a critical mass of research capacity.

 

Training will be delivered through fostering a mutually beneficial network that includes the SOFAR partners ministries of health and policy making organisations, with network meetings, pairing of fellows across institutions and placements of fellows within Africa CDC and WHO. This will facilitate direct transferability of relevant research to practice and policy. SOFAR will develop and deliver a modular digital training programme (Digital Global Health Academy) aimed at equipping fellows to maximize their research impact. This open access platform will foster a culture of open science, innovation, and knowledge circulation. SOFAR will strengthen processes and systems for recruitment ensuring both transparency and equity through the development of written guidance documents, training and intentional recruitment and review panels; in addition a tailored participatory programme to train academic supervisors at APRIs will be delivered.

 

This will ensure that SOFAR not only trains skilled and internationally competitive researchers, but strengthens the systems and the environment of institutions, ensuring both impact and sustainability and contributing to reversing the brain drain.