Jobs and Announcements

Launch of the first Call for Proposals of the new "Intra-Africa Academic Mobility Scheme"
Deadline: 15 June 2016

This programme’s objective is to improve the skills and competences of students and staff through enhanced intra-African mobility and cooperation between Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in Africa to encourage and enable African students to undertake postgraduate studies in the African continent. The call is for partnerships between a minimum four and maximum six African HEIs including the applicant) and one technical partner from the EU. Eligible applicants and partners are HEIs registered in Africa that provide courses at postgraduate level (master’s and/or doctorate degree) of higher education leading to a qualification recognised by the competent authorities in their own country. Only HEIs accredited by relevant national authorities in Africa are eligible. Branches of HEIs from outside Africa are not eligible.

Pharmaceutical Public Health Short Courses and Online Modules
University of the Western Cape, South Africa, 2016

The University of the Western Cape (UWC) School of Public Health presents the 38th Short Course School in a series of Winter and Summer Schools held at UWC since 1992. These courses expose health and health-related workers to the latest thinking in Public Health and enable them to discuss and exchange ideas on improved planning and implementation of Primary Health Care in the changing environment of the developing world. To date, some 12,000 participants, mainly nurses and middle level managers have attended these courses, from all over South Africa and many other African countries. As many of these courses are also used as the teaching blocks of the UWC Master of Public Health degree, the highest academic and practical standards are maintained. Most courses are one week long to allow busy health workers to receive continuing education with minimal disruption of their services. Selection of subjects reflects the main public health priorities. This year UWC are offering courses covering a wide range of management, programme development and policy and planning issues. The cost of courses is kept to an absolute minimum, to allow for the fullest participation.

Call for Applicants: South African Field Epidemiology Training Programme
Closing date: 30 June 2016

The South African Field Epidemiology Training Programme (SAFETP) is requesting applications for the incoming 2017 class from qualified health professionals with an interest in public health and commitment to public service. The programme is a combination of didactic and practical training in which the resident is grounded in the academic basics of public health and is assigned to field sites where s/he learns by doing while being mentored by supervisors in projects that address key public health priorities. This residency programme is a two year, full time training, from which residents graduate with a Masters in Public Health (MPH) from the University of Pretoria. The 2017 cohort will begin in January 2017 and end in December 2018. The training focuses on investigations of public health outbreaks (an acute health event or other epidemiological activity) and using epidemiology and biostatistics to conduct descriptive and analytical studies. Bursaries/stipends may be available for select South African applicants fulfilling predefined criteria. For applicants applying from other African countries - the eligibility requirements still apply and the international applicant must have the required visa and permissions to study in South Africa. The applicants must ensure that all the costs related to participation in SAFETP are fully covered for the 2 years of training – salaries/stipends, university registration and tuition fees, accommodation, travel and accommodation to investigate outbreaks. Further information available on the website.

Fourth Global Symposium on Health Systems Research
14-18 November 2016, Vancouver, Canada

The Canadian Society for International Health (CSIH) is organizing the Fourth Global Symposium on Health Systems Research in Vancouver at the Vancouver Convention Centre on behalf of Health Systems Global (HSG). The theme for 2016 is “Resilient and responsive health systems for a changing world”. The Global Symposium on Health Systems Research is hosted every two years by HSG to bring together its members with the full range of players involved in health systems and policy research. The Symposium aims to share new state-of-the-art evidence; review the progress and challenges towards implementation of the global agenda of priority research; identify and discuss the approaches to strengthen the scientific rigour of health systems research including concepts, frameworks, measures and methods; and facilitate greater research collaboration and learning communities across disciplines, sectors, initiatives and countries.

Global Health Action (GHA) Call for Papers: ‘Gender and health inequalities: intersections with other relevant axes of oppression’
Deadline: End of August 2016

This call for papers entitled ‘Gender and health inequalities: intersections with other relevant axes of oppression’ aims to generate knowledge about how gender inequalities in health/disease/mortality/and access to health care systems interact with other important axes of oppression (race/ethnicity, social class, religion, and/or migratory status, among others) through different levels of power (from the global to the local) at different lifetime stages for a population. It also aims to contribute to a better understanding of the relationship between gender (in)equalities and health (inequalities). The editors welcome different types of contributions: empirical research, theoretical papers, methodological papers, and reviews. Studies aiming to contribute to developing gender and social theories building on intersectional, ecosocial, relational, or biosocial approaches are welcome. Also of interest are methodological papers using qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods, and are particularly studies that explore means of better addressing the complexity of analysing health inequalities according to this multidimensional or multiple approach. The editors also welcome papers that address not only issues of dominance and/or suffering but also those about resistance, agency, resilience, and/or empowerment. They encourage submissions from researchers working in low-, middle-, and high-income countries.

International AIDS Conference
17th-22nd July 2016, Durban, South Africa

The International AIDS Conference is a gathering for those working in the field of HIV, as well as policy makers, persons living with HIV and other individuals committed to ending the pandemic. It is a chance to assess state of affairs, evaluate recent scientific developments and lessons learnt, and collectively chart a course forward. The AIDS 2016 programme will present new scientific knowledge and offer many opportunities for structured dialogue on the major issues facing the global response to HIV.

Public Health Association of South Africa 2016 Conference
19th - 22th September 2016, East London Convention Centre, South Africa

The Public Health Association of South Africa 2016 Conference builds on the 2015 Conference theme of “Health and Sustainable Development: The Future”. The 2016 Conference will focus on how public health education as well as practice will need to transform to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The 2016 Conference will feature workshops, satellite sessions, panel discussions, oral and poster presentations and site visits. The panel debate format of 2015 will be retained with National Health Insurance a potential topic. The 2016 Conference forms part of the University of Fort Hare’s centenary and this very special occasion will be marked during the opening of the conference.

UNU-WIDER PhD Internships
Applications open 1 March and 1 September of each year

The UNU-WIDER PhD Internship Programme gives registered doctoral students an opportunity to utilize the resources and facilities at UNU-WIDER for their PhD dissertation or thesis research, and to work with UNU-WIDER researchers in areas of mutual interest. PhD interns typically spend 3 consecutive months at UNU-WIDER and return to their home institution afterwards. They prepare one or more research papers and present a seminar on their research findings. PhD interns may also have the opportunity to publish their research in UNU-WIDER’s working paper series. Applicants must be enrolled in a PhD programme and have shown ability to conduct research on developing economies. Candidates working in other social sciences may apply but should keep in mind that UNU-WIDER is an economics-focused institute. Candidates should be fluent in oral and written English and possess good quantitative and/or qualitative analytical skills. Preference is given to applicants who are living or working in developing countries and who are at later stages of the PhD. For further information see the website.

World Nutrition Congress 2016
30th Aug - 2nd Sept 2016, Cape Town, South Africa

This congress is taking place at a time of unprecedented challenges in population nutrition. Global and national food systems are increasingly concentrated and globalised, with small scale food production being rapidly marginalised in countries where such activity previously predominated. In many countries people are mobilising to defend their rights and taking action to recover and preserve indigenous and environmentally sustainable food systems. Several African countries are experiencing a ‘nutrition transition’ but are not yet as advanced along this trajectory as is South Africa, your host country. Together with ‘Big Food’ – large corporations in the food system – South African food companies (manufacturers and retailers) are expanding into Sub-Saharan Africa, influencing many countries’ food environments and nutritional indicators. Hence, South Africa’s experience and policies can inform improved understanding and policy making on the continent and can also provide a platform for all concerned with the impact of the food system on the health of humanity and our planet. The holding of the WPHNA Congress in South Africa has the potential to inform key policy makers and researchers and significantly shape the food and nutrition policy landscape in South Africa, Africa and beyond.

Call for case studies: Reducing the risk of exporting unethical practices to low and middle income countries
Deadline: 2 March 2016

TRUST Equitable Research Partnerships invites the submission of case studies identifying the risks of exporting non-ethical research practices to low and middle income countries. The TRUST project addresses the risks of ethics dumping - that is the export of research practices that would be considered unethical in Europe - for both public and privately funded research. With the globalisation of research activities, there is an increasing risk of research involving sensitive ethical issues being conducted by European organisations outside the European Union, without proper compliance structures and follow-up. To contribute to the research, TRUST are launching this bottom-up call. Five full case studies will be funded from successful applicants to this competition. These cases must refer to research undertaken in low or middle income countries by researchers, sponsors or funders from high income countries; in any field of research (e.g. life sciences, social sciences, agriculture, environment, animals, security, etc.). The deadline for submission of abstracts is March 2nd, 2016 with full submission of selected proposals on May 2nd 2016. The five winners will each receive €2,000. The competition is part of the TRUST project, co-funded by the European Commission under grant number 664771.

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