Strengthening SOFAR fellows' development and regional collaboration

The Southern Africa Research Capacity Network began 2026 with a series of strategic meetings bringing together program leads and PhD, MSc and Postdoctoral Fellows from Zimbabwe, Zambia and Mozambique.

These meetings created a valuable platform to support fellows’ academic progression, training, and professional growth, while also aligning program activities for the year ahead. Program leads and fellows jointly reviewed research milestones, training needs, mentorship plans, and opportunities for skills development, ensuring that each fellow receives tailored support throughout their training journey.

Discussions also focused on strengthening supervision structures, enhancing cross-institutional learning opportunities, promoting mobility and collaboration, and expanding access to digital learning resources. By aligning expectations and priorities early in the year, SOFAR reinforces a strong enabling environment that empowers fellows to excel academically and emerge as future research leaders.

SOFAR acknowledges the funding support from, Global Health EDCTP3, funded by the European Union, whose investment enables high-quality education, mentorship, and regional research capacity strengthening.

Disclaimer: Funded by the European Union under Global Health EDCTP3. Views and opinions expressed are, however, those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of Global Health EDCTP3 nor its members. Neither of the parties can be held responsible for them.