Are you an African researcher passionate about infectious disease modelling, epidemiology, data science, and public health? The IDM-Africa Fellowship Programme in Infectious Disease Modelling 2026 is inviting applications from eligible early-career and mid-career researchers across sub-Saharan Africa. This 12-month fellowship offers an exciting opportunity to strengthen your technical modelling skills, work with experienced mentors, and develop research that can help address critical public health challenges across the continent. The programme offers three fellowship positions, including two placements at the Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI) and African Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Data-Intensive Sciences in Uganda, and one placement at ACE-Mali in Mali. Successful fellows will receive a monthly stipend throughout the fellowship, alongside support for eligible travel and placement expenses, publication fees, and structured mentorship. If you have a background in a quantitative discipline or health-related field and want to use infectious disease modelling to influence public health decisions, this opportunity could help advance your research career. Application deadline: 30 October 2026 at 16:59 East Africa Time (EAT). What Is the IDM-Africa Fellowship Programme? The Strategic Training Hub for Infectious Disease Modelling in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDM-Africa) is designed to strengthen African expertise in infectious disease modelling and support evidence-informed public health decision-making. The initiative responds to the need for more locally based researchers who can develop mathematical and computational models to understand infectious disease transmission, anticipate outbreaks, investigate antimicrobial resistance, and inform public health interventions. Through practical training, mentorship, and collaboration, the programme helps researchers develop projects that address relevant public health questions in their own settings. Fellows will work with experienced infectious disease modellers, public health specialists, and policy experts to develop research outputs that can inform scientific understanding and government decision-making. The programme is supported through the Global Health EDCTP3 Joint Undertaking under grant agreement ID 101249031. What Does the Fellowship Offer? The IDM-Africa Fellowship combines financial support, technical development, and practical research experience. 1. Monthly Stipend Each successful fellow will receive a monthly stipend throughout the 12-month fellowship period. The specific stipend amount is not stated in the supplied announcement, so applicants should consult the official recruitment notice for further details. 2. Travel and Placement Support The programme provides support for eligible travel and placement expenses, including: Return economy-class air tickets. Visa fees. Travel insurance. On-site accommodation during the placement. Ground transportation during the placement. This support enables selected fellows to undertake their required in-person placement at their designated host institution. 3. Publication Fee Support Publication fees for the completed modelling work will be provided under the programme’s stated arrangements, helping fellows prepare their research for dissemination through scientific publications. 4. Expert Mentorship Fellows will receive structured mentorship from infectious disease modellers and other specialists. This support will help them refine research questions, develop appropriate modelling methods, interpret results, and communicate findings to scientific and policy audiences. 5. Practical Research Experience Participants will gain experience in developing infectious disease models, managing datasets, conducting simulations, building visualisation dashboards, and preparing policy briefs. These skills can support future careers in research, academia, epidemiology, public health, data science, and international health programmes. Fellowship Duration and Structure Each fellowship lasts 12 months, divided into two stages. Month 1: In-person placement Fellows will spend one month at their selected host institution, receiving intensive mentorship and developing their modelling projects. During this period, participants will refine their research questions, establish their workplans, and work closely with mentors to determine suitable modelling methods and data requirements. Months 2–12: Online mentorship The remaining 11 months will involve online mentorship, peer-learning activities, regular progress reporting, and quarterly performance reviews. Fellows should expect at least one mentor–mentee session every two weeks, monthly peer-fellow meetings, and ongoing engagement with the programme’s research community. Participants must commit 100% of their working time during the first month and approximately four hours per day, equivalent to 50% full-time equivalent, during the online mentorship period. Available Fellowship Positions Three positions are available for this recruitment round. 1. IDI / ACE-Uganda — Two positions These positions are open to candidates who are fluent in English, including eligible applicants from non-Anglophone sub-Saharan African countries. 2. ACE-Mali / USTTB — One position This position is intended for eligible candidates from Francophone sub-Saharan African countries. Applicants should carefully indicate their preferred host site and explain why it is appropriate for their proposed research project. Please note that, although the wider programme involves several collaborating institutions, the placements available in this round are at ACE-Uganda and ACE-Mali. Who Is Eligible to Apply? The fellowship targets early-career and mid-career researchers affiliated with institutions in eligible sub-Saharan African countries within the EDCTP Association. Applicants must meet the programme’s specified eligibility criteria, including the following: Hold a master’s degree in a quantitative discipline or health-related field, such as mathematics, statistics, biostatistics, physics, data science, bioinformatics, epidemiology, public health, infectious diseases, global health, or biomedical sciences. Candidates holding or pursuing a PhD in these disciplines may also be eligible. Have completed short-term training in infectious disease modelling. Demonstrate practical experience in infectious disease modelling, such as through a hands-on workshop, research project, thesis, dissertation, or publication. Have experience with at least one relevant modelling platform or programming language, such as R, Python, or MATLAB. Be able to manage datasets, formulate models, run simulations, and interpret results. Have access to data suitable for the proposed modelling project. Demonstrate a clear commitment to a career in infectious disease modelling and public health. Be willing to work in interdisciplinary teams and engage with researchers and policymakers. Be available for the full fellowship duration and committed to completing all agreed outputs. Secure institutional support, including protected time for the online mentorship period. Important eligibility restriction: Applicants affiliated with the partner institutions at IDI/Makerere University in Uganda or ACE-B/USTTB in Mali are not eligible for this fellowship round, as stated in the announcement. Qualified female researchers are strongly encouraged to apply. What Will Fellows Be Expected to Deliver? By the end of the programme, each fellow is expected to produce several practical research outputs. These include a documented and validated infectious disease model with reproducible code in R, Python, or equivalent software; a visualisation dashboard using R Shiny or another suitable platform; and a final project report. Fellows must also submit a manuscript as lead author to a peer-reviewed open-access journal and prepare a policy brief as lead author explaining the relevance of their findings to policymakers. Additional responsibilities include regular progress updates, quarterly performance reports, participation in peer-learning meetings, and presentations at relevant scientific workshops or conferences. These requirements make the programme particularly suitable for applicants who already have a clear research question and access to appropriate data. How to Apply for the IDM-Africa Fellowship Programme 2026 Applications must be submitted through the official IDI Recruitment Portal. Follow these steps: Step 1: Visit the official application portal: Step 2: Locate the vacancy titled IDM-Africa Fellowship Programme in Infectious Disease Modelling. Step 3: Click “Apply” and prepare your complete application package as a single PDF document. Your application should include: An updated curriculum vitae. Certified academic certificates and transcripts. A scanned national ID or passport. Two recommendation letters from current or previous supervisors or mentors. A statement of career goals and motivation. Your preferred host institution and an explanation of your choice. A description of your proposed modelling project, including the research question, methods, and anticipated public health relevance. A statement explaining the potential policy implications of your work and how you will encourage the use of your findings. A brief description of the data you will use to parameterise and validate the model. A letter from your home institution confirming support for your participation and at least 50% protected time during the online mentorship period, together with support for completing the required research outputs. Step 4: Review your application carefully and submit it through the official portal before the deadline. Application Deadline The official application information specifies the deadline as 30 October 2026 at 16:59 EAT. Applicants should submit their documents well in advance to avoid last-minute technical difficulties. If any deadline information differs across announcements, confirm the applicable time directly through the official IDI recruitment portal. Why You Should Consider This Opportunity Infectious disease modelling is increasingly important for understanding outbreaks, evaluating interventions, investigating antimicrobial resistance, and supporting evidence-based public health policies. For African researchers, this fellowship offers an opportunity to strengthen local expertise, work with experienced mentors, and produce research that responds to the continent’s health priorities. The combination of a monthly stipend, placement support, publication fee assistance, and 12 months of mentorship makes this a valuable opportunity for researchers who meet the eligibility requirements and are ready to develop a policy-relevant modelling project. Final Thoughts The IDM-Africa Fellowship Programme 2026 is an opportunity for eligible researchers in sub-Saharan Africa to develop advanced infectious disease modelling skills and contribute to public health research with practical applications. If you have the required academic background, modelling experience, access to suitable data, and institutional support, start preparing your application now. Apply before 30 October 2026 at 16:59 EAT. VISIT OFFICIAL WEBSITE HERE For more opportunities such as these please follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and WPChannel Disclaimer: Global South Opportunities (GSO) does not take ownership or credit for the opportunities shared on this platform. All opportunities are sourced from official announcements and external sources for informational purposes only. Applicants are encouraged to verify all details, deadlines, and eligibility requirements from the official source before applying. 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