Ten years of excellence: Celebrating a decade of the fellowship programme at the European Vaccine Initiative
- EVI
- 17 minutes ago
- 3 min read
The European Vaccine Initiative (EVI) is proud to celebrate ten years of hosting fellows under the TDR Clinical Research Leadership (CRL) fellowship programme (previously EDCTP/TDR Clinical Research and Development Fellowship Scheme).
November 2025
Since welcoming the first fellow in 2015, EVI has supported early- and mid-career researchers from low- and middle-income countries in developing their skills across the vaccine development spectrum, from antigen discovery to clinical research and regulatory processes.
Over the past decade, EVI has welcomed fellows from countries across Africa and Latin America, including Burkina Faso, Colombia, Senegal, Mali, Nigeria, Cameroon, Zambia, Ghana, Tanzania, The Gambia, and Uganda , providing immersive, ,hands-on on training in vaccine research and development During their placement, fellows gain a comprehensive overview of vaccinology, from antigen discovery through pre-clinical and clinical development, regulatory pathways, and ethical considerations. They work directly with EVI’s international team and partners, building technical, leadership, and project management skills essential for decision-making in vaccine development.
For many fellows, the programme has been pivotal in shaping their careers. “The training experience gained at EVI can be described as awesome, unparalleled, and especially well-tailored at this stage of my career,” said Dr Japhet Anim from Ghana, who completed his fellowship in 2022. Dr Amanda Wanyana from Uganda added, “Coming from a background that was mostly clinical, the learning curve has been very steep. I look forward to passing on new knowledge and skills to my Ugandan colleagues.”
Current fellows share similar reflections.
“My time at EVI has shown me the power of collaboration in accelerating vaccine innovation and development. Through the fellowship, I can contribute to impactful work gaining insights and skills while strengthening my own regulatory and scientific expertise. It expanded my perspective and inspired me to pursue even greater opportunities to support global health.” – Said Dr Samiratu Yakubu, currently a fellow at EVI.
Dr Zakariah Buwah also noted “My fellowship at EVI deepened my appreciation for the discipline required to guide meaningful clinical research. Working within a sponsor setting broadened my perspective on trial leadership, strengthened my analytical approach, and highlighted how thoughtful collaboration can shape studies that truly support global health.”
Dr Nicola Viebig, EVI’s Head of Research and supervisor/mentor to many fellows, reflected on the programme’s impact:
“It has been a privilege to see how each fellow grows in confidence and capability during and after their time at EVI. Their enthusiasm and dedication bring fresh perspectives to our work, while the skills and networks they build here continue to strengthen vaccine research capacity globally. We are proud to play a part in their professional journeys and in building sustainable scientific leadership in partner countries.”
Through this programme, EVI contributes to strengthening research capacity in partner countries, helping to create sustainable and self-reliant research environments. The organisation remains committed to nurturing global talent and building equitable partnerships to advance science worldwide.
As EVI marks this milestone, it extends its gratitude to all past fellows, partners and supporters who have made the programme a success and looks forward to continuing its mission of training and collaboration in the years ahead.
For more information about EVI’s training and fellowship opportunities, visit www.euvaccine.eu/careers-training
EVI Fellows 2015-2025. Upper row, left to right: WHO/TDR fellows hosted by EVI at the WHO/TDR alumni meeting in Cape Town 2022. From right to left: Fabrice Somé, Eric Nébié, María del Mar Castro, Siaka Débé, Fassiatou Tairou, Moussa Niangaly, Amanda Wanyana, Moses Phiri and Robert Shey. Samiratu Yakubu Zakariah Buwah. Bottom row, left to righ: James Onyemata, Japhet Anim, Aloyce Costantine, Ebrima Kanteh.