The sub-Saharan Africa Health Research and Innovation Fellowship (SAHRI Fellowship) programme is an exceptional three-year training trajectory designed to empower 12 talented mid-career biomedical and clinical researchers from sub-Saharan Africa (sSA) to become leaders in biomedical innovation and clinical research, tackling the urgent challenges of infectious disease prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and control across the region.

The fellowship is fully funded by a grant from the Global Health EDCTP3 and implemented by a consortium of academic and research institutions from Europe and Africa, led by the Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp in collaboration with BioNTech.

The programme is structured as a comprehensive professional development pathway, where SAHRI fellows grow through phases that include:

1. Academic phase: Fellows enrol in the research-oriented Master of Science in Tropical Medicine at the Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp (60 ECTS with a flexible and modular structure) and the Systems Thinking in Biotech Development course at the Access-To-Medicines (ATM) Research Centre of KULeuven, Belgium.

2. Placement phase: Fellows undertake a six-month internship at BioNTech headquarters in Mainz, Germany, followed by hands-on research experience with scientists from member centres of the East African Consortium for Clinical Research (EACCR) in Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda, or at the Clinical Research Unit of Nanoro (IRSS-CRUN) in Burkina Faso.

3. Return-home phase: In their third year, fellows implement a research project in their home country or region, advancing research and innovation with the opportunity to pursue a PhD programme and benefit from network connections, and contributing to sustainable impact within their home institutions and communities.

Each phase builds on the previous one, creating a seamless progression from academic excellence to practical experience and long-term community impact.