AFRICA

Scholarships call for postgraduate studies in biostatistics
The Alliance for Accelerating Excellence in Science in Africa has published two calls for doctoral and masters scholarships in biostatistics offered under the auspices of the Sub-Saharan Africa Consortium for Advanced Biostatistics, a consortium of 20 institutions in Africa and the United Kingdom.With funding secured from the Wellcome Trust through the Developing Excellence in Leadership, Training and Science programme, South Africa’s University of Witwatersrand, the lead partner, will train a minimum of four doctoral students, plus an unspecified number of MSc fellows, in 2018.
Both the PhD and MSc programmes focus on quantitative research in health-related fields, the aim being to develop a career in biostatistics, an emerging field in developing countries.
“The goal of this financial support is to enhance biostatistical graduate training capacity and boost the number of researchers and practitioners in low- and middle-income countries,” said the call by the Alliance for Accelerating Excellence in Science.
Studies for both programmes can be undertaken in at least eight partnering universities affiliated to the consortium in East and Southern Africa.
Scholarships for all students will cover tuition fees, insurance cover for basic medical needs and accidents, monthly living stipends covering accommodation and support for research projects.
Additionally for PhD students 'bench fees' will be given to the research institution hosting the PhD student, plus travel costs to and from the academic training institution and the host research institution.
Interested candidates are required to check admission requirements for a consortium member university and submit applications before 31 March for the PhD programme and 31 July for MSc studies. – Compiled by Maina Waruru