News - Call for Applications for DELTAS - S2ACABT MSc in Biostatistics Fellowships at University of Malawi, Chancellor College for 2016/2017 Academic Year

Call for DELTAS Sub-Saharan Africa Consortium for Advanced Biostatistics Training (S²ACABT) Masters in Biostatistics Fellowships at University of Malawi for 2016/17 Academic Year

 

Application deadline for Masters Scholarships is Friday 16^th September 2016

 

1.      DESCRIPTION

The Sub-Saharan African Consortium for Advanced Biostatistical Training (S²ACABT), a consortium of twenty African and northern institutions with the University of the Witwatersrand as the lead applicant;and KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programmes, Universities of KwaZulu-Natal, Warwick and London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine as co-applicants,has secured funding from the Wellcome Trust/AESA through the Developing Excellence in Leadership, Traning and Science (DELTAS). The full list of participating institutions are listed below. The funding will cover Masters and PhD programmes in Biostatistics in participating training institutions to develop and improve biostatistical skills among researchers,with an ultimate goal of creating research nodes of excellence to grow the discipline and a biostatistical network to nurture researchers with advanced skills and expertise.The consortium is therefore calling for full time scholarship applications for Masters degree.

 

The scholarships are open to candidates with strong background in either Statistics, Mathematics, Demography, any other quantitative fields, including competent candidates from the lab/health field such as biomedical sciences, pharmacy, medicine who may benefit from a postgraduate course in biostatistics. The potential fellows should have applied for a place at one of the postgraduate biostatistics degree programmes being offered by partner institutions.

 

These degree programmes will be focused on courses relevant to quantitative research in the health-related fields and developing careers in Biostatisticics,which is a growing field particularly in developing countries where the demand is high due to increased biomedical research. Therefore, the goal of this financial support is to enhance Biostatistical graduate training capacity and boost the number of researchers and practitoners in low and middle-income countries.

 

2.      MASTERS’ SCHOLARSHIPS: APPLICATION DEADLINE– FRIDAY 16^th SEPTEMBER 2016

 

ELIGIBILITY

·         The scholarship is open to nationals of low and middle income countries in the Sub-Saharan African Region that are resident in the region. (http://data.worldbank.org/about/country-and-lending-groups#Sub_Saharan_Africa )  and partnering institutions in the consortium.

·         Applicants should normally be under 35 years for the Master Programme

·         Applicants should meet the University’s admission requirements for the level of degree applied for before applying for the scholarship.

SCHOLARSHIP PACKAGE

The scheme will provide full scholarships for 3 Masters students fellows in the 2016/2017 academic year and covers the following:

• Tuition fees
• A monthly stipend to cover accommodation, living expenses, and medical insurance.
• Support for the Masters research project supervision

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

For the MSc scholarships, applicants should provide the academic training institution with:

 

1.      A comprehensive curriculum vitae including relevant research and work experience

2. Letter of motivation explaining why you want to pursue an MSc in Biostatistics

3.      Certified copies of academic transcripts and degree certificates

4.      Evidence of acceptance or application to study Biostatistics at any of the partnering institution for commencement in the 2016/2017 academic year

5.      Two confidential referee reports should be sent directly to the training institution

 

Preference for these MSc scholarships will be given to candidates who are likely to strengthen the SSACABT institutions either as academic staff members or affiliation to research institution within the consortium.

 

Further, recipients’ careers will be tracked with the new Wellcome Trust DELTAS S²ACABT alumni that will monitor the impact of the programme, as well as networking and increased visibility opportunities for the Fellows.

 

3.      HOW TO APPLY

Send your application through the following address:

The PG Programmes Secretariat, Mathematical Sciences Department, Chancellor College, P.O. Box 280, Zomba, Malawi, Or email: sec.maths@cc.ac.mw

Send copies and/or equiries to

Institutional Lead: Dr Jupiter Simbeye at jsimbeye@cc.ac.mw and

PG Coordinator for MSc. Biostatistics: Mr. Tsirizani Kaombe at biostat-unima@cc.ac.mw

 

PLEASE NOTE: The application deadline for MSc scholarships is Friday 16^th September 2016

 

 

Full list of collaborating institutions in in the Sub-Saharan African Consortium for Advanced Biostatistical Training (S²ACABT)programme

 

LEAD INSTITUTION

Name of Institution	Country	Insitutional Lead
University of the Witwatersrand	South Africa	Tobias Chirwa

 

CO-APPLICANTS

London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine	United Kingdom	Jim Todd
University of Warwick	United Kingdom	Ngianga-Bakwin Kandala
University of KwaZulu Natal	South Africa	Henry Mwambi
KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme	Kenya	Abdisalan Noor

 

PARTNER INSTITUTIONS

University Medical Center Utrecht	The Netherlands	Rene Eijkemans
University of Oxford	United Kingdom	Gregory Fegan
Stellenbosch University	South Africa	Rhoderick Machekano
Kilimanjaro Christian Medical University College	Tanzania	Michael Mahende
University of Malawi	Malawi	Jupiter Simbeye
Makerere University	Uganda	Nazarius Tumwesigye
University of Ghana	Ghana	Kwadwo Koram
University of Nairobi	Kenya	Patrick Weke
University of Zambia	Zambia	Patrick Musonda
University of Kinshasa	Democratic Republic of Congo	Kalambayi Kayembe
University of Namibia	Namibia	Lawrence Kazembe
Medical Research Council	South Africa	Samuel Manda
INDEPTH Network	Ghana	Osman Sankoh
Human Sciences Research Council	South Africa	Khangelani Zuma
Centre for AIDS Programme of Research	South Africa	Anneke Grobler