Vaccine Development Mentorship Programme for Early-Career Women in Africa (National Academies)
About the opportunity:
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, with funding from the Gates Foundation, has opened a mentorship programme for early-career women in vaccinology across Africa. Its aim is to help them grow professionally through structured mentoring, leadership development and a stronger network. This is a cohort of about 36 participants from Africa is paired with six mentors drawn from the United States and Africa. The year starts with a two-day in-person workshop. After that, participants have mentor meetings every two months and join monthly virtual training sessions. The content covers career development, leadership skills and sharing knowledge and experience with others in the field. For women early in their vaccine careers, it offers a ready-made community of peers and senior professionals, and the chance to build the kind of support network that can shape a career.
Who can apply:
- Women in the early stage of their careers
- Currently working in vaccine development
- Living in a low- or middle-income country in Africa
What you get:
- A two-day in-person workshop to kick off the programme
- Mentor meetings every two months
- Monthly virtual training sessions
- Leadership skills development
- Networking with vaccinology professionals in the US and Africa
How to apply:
- Confirm that you meet all the eligibility criteria.
- Collect the documents and information listed in the official application guidelines.
- Submit your application through the official portal between 15 October and 31 December 2026.
- Wait for the review, which runs from 1 January to 27 February 2027.
- Successful applicants will be notified on 28 February 2027.
Official link: Use the Apply button on this page to go straight to the official application. Always confirm the latest details and requirements on the National Academies’ official page before applying.
Tip: Check the required documents in the official guidelines early, so you are not scrambling in the last week of December.
