EVI is dedicated at strengthening public health and vaccine research capacities in the fight against diseases of poverty and emerging infectious diseases. EVI recognises that training of scientists from low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) is a key component in building a long-term sustainable and vibrant local research environment.

In 2015, EVI joined the EDCTP/TDR Clinical Research and Development Fellowship (CRDF) Scheme as a hosting institution. The purpose of this fellowship scheme is to provide training to junior to mid-career researchers from LMICs to acquire specialist skills in clinical research and development through placements in pharmaceutical companies and PDPs. 

The goal of the placement at EVI is to facilitate critical decision-making in vaccinology by providing fellows with an overview of the field, from antigen discovery to vaccine development and clinical research according to international guidelines particularly for early stage vaccine development. The training methodology has two complementary approaches: a series of lectures combined with hands-on training. Topics covered include, among others, project management, preclinical and clinical development of vaccines, GMP manufacturing and regulatory aspects.