Following a call for applications for postgraduate scholarships supported by TDR, the University of Sciences, Techniques and Technologies Bamako received 1 200 applications and selected 19 students who began their studies in May 2023.
In recent years, TDR has been responding to a significant demand from African scientists for research training in French. Last year, the University of Sciences, Techniques and Technologies Bamako joined TDR’s Postgraduate Training Scheme as a new partner, following Cheikh Anta Diop University in Senegal, which joined the scheme in 2021.
In late 2022, a call for applications was announced for 19 placements. The selected students, nine of which are women, come from Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cote d'Ivoire, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Central African Republic, Guinea, Chad, and Togo.
“We were very pleased to see so much demand from students across the West African region,” said Dr Seydou Doumbia, Dean of the Medical School at University of Sciences, Techniques and Technologies Bamako. “We are excited to work with TDR to create health research leadership in the region.”
TDR’s Postgraduate Training Scheme provides support for postgraduate research training in low- and middle-income countries, with a focus on implementation research on malaria, tuberculosis, neglected tropical diseases, One Health, surveillance and pandemic preparedness. Since 2015, 447 Master’s students have been supported, among which 51% are women, 48% are men and 1% is transgender.
“TDR is expanding equitable access to implementation research training through this postgraduate training programme,” said Dr Anna Thorson, head of TDR’s Research Capacity Strengthening unit. “Diversity related to gender and geographical reach among the scientists we support, are important considerations during the selection process.”
For more information, please contact Dr Mahnaz Vahedi.