The Fellowship in Outbreak Readiness for Global Health Protection (FOR-GHP) is inviting qualified public health and biomedical professionals from sub-Saharan Africa to apply for a comprehensive 1.5-year fellowship focused on outbreak preparedness, infectious disease response, One Health, global health security, leadership, and public health workforce development.

Funded by the German Federal Ministry of Health through the Global Health Protection Programme (GHPP), the FOR-GHP Fellowship is designed to strengthen the ability of public health professionals and institutions to prepare for, prevent, detect, and respond effectively to disease outbreaks and other public health emergencies.

The programme combines in-person workshops, online learning, self-study eLearning modules, case-study development, simulation-based learning, teaching activities, and regional networking. Fellows will be trained not only to strengthen their own professional competencies but also to become facilitators and multipliers who can transfer knowledge and skills to colleagues within their institutions and countries.

There are no tuition fees, and the fellowship provides financial support for participation in the required workshops, including economy-class flights, visa fees, accommodation, and meals.

The application deadline is 21 October 2026 at midnight CET.

About the FOR-GHP Fellowship Programme

The Fellowship in Outbreak Readiness for Global Health Protection (FOR-GHP) is an initiative funded by the German Federal Ministry of Health under the Global Health Protection Programme (GHPP).

The programme responds to the growing need for highly skilled professionals who can support effective outbreak preparedness and response. Natural disease outbreaks, emerging infectious diseases, and intentional biological threats can place significant pressure on public health systems. Strong preparedness therefore depends on having professionals with the technical knowledge, leadership skills, communication abilities, and institutional capacity required to respond effectively.

FOR-GHP follows a multiplier approach. Rather than focusing only on individual professional development, the programme prepares fellows to transfer the knowledge and competencies they acquire to colleagues and institutions in their home countries.

The fellowship is delivered through an experienced international consortium comprising:

• Africa Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET)
• Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine (BNITM)
• Robert Koch Institute (RKI)
• Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH)

Through blended learning and practical training approaches, the programme seeks to empower local experts who can contribute to stronger public health systems and create wider regional impact.

Why Outbreak Readiness Matters

Disease outbreaks can emerge rapidly and spread across communities, countries, and continents. Effective outbreak management requires coordinated surveillance, timely data analysis, evidence-based decision-making, effective communication, trained personnel, and collaboration between different sectors.

The programme recognises that public health emergencies cannot always be addressed by one institution or discipline alone. Consequently, FOR-GHP places particular emphasis on One Health, global health security, cross-sectoral collaboration, and systems thinking.

The fellowship is intended to help strengthen the workforce responsible for implementing outbreak preparedness and response measures while supporting the obligations established under the International Health Regulations (IHR 2005).

Objectives of the FOR-GHP Fellowship

The fellowship has four major objectives.

1. Strengthen outbreak management competencies

Fellows will develop competencies in outbreak preparedness and management, with particular emphasis on One Health and global health security.

Training will use a combination of digital learning, face-to-face workshops, practical exercises, and simulations.

The approach is designed to help participants understand both the technical and operational aspects of responding to public health emergencies.

2. Develop facilitators, multipliers and leaders

The programme is not simply designed to train participants as individual practitioners.

Fellows will also learn how to become facilitators, multipliers and leaders within their institutions and countries. This includes developing context-specific teaching case studies that can be used to share knowledge and strengthen the skills of other public health professionals.

3. Strengthen regional collaboration

FOR-GHP seeks to facilitate capacity-strengthening activities within regional networks.

Through collaboration and knowledge exchange, fellows will be able to build professional connections with colleagues working in different institutions and countries.

This regional approach is intended to support:

• Knowledge sharing
• Professional collaboration
• Cross-border partnerships
• Coordinated outbreak preparedness
• Coordinated outbreak response
• Peer learning
• Public health capacity development

4. Promote long-term sustainability

The programme will establish and nurture an active alumni network.

The alumni network is intended to support continued collaboration, mentorship, peer learning, and professional engagement after fellows have completed the formal training programme.

This creates an opportunity for the relationships and knowledge developed during the fellowship to continue producing benefits beyond the programme itself.

What the FOR-GHP Fellowship Will Teach

The fellowship focuses on a broad range of competencies related to outbreak preparedness, public health emergency response, training, leadership, communication, and workforce development.

Participants will develop skills in the following areas.

Collaborative Infectious Disease Surveillance

Fellows will learn approaches for integrating infectious disease surveillance and public health intelligence.

This includes working with data collected from multiple sources and understanding how information from different sectors can be harmonised, analysed, and interpreted.

The programme particularly considers information across:

• Human health
• Animal health
• Environmental health

This reflects the One Health approach, which recognises the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health.

Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Response

Participants will strengthen their ability to apply evidence-informed principles for preparing for and responding to public health emergencies.

The training covers both unintentional and intentional public health emergencies and considers the obligations associated with the International Health Regulations (2005).

This competency is intended to help fellows contribute to stronger preparedness systems within their institutions and countries.

Training and Adult Learning

An important component of FOR-GHP is preparing participants to become trainers and multipliers.

Fellows will learn how to:

• Co-create training initiatives
• Deliver professional training
• Evaluate training programmes
• Develop context-sensitive teaching materials
• Apply adult-learning principles
• Use case-based learning
• Use simulation approaches
• Support lifelong learning

Participants will develop their own teaching case studies during the programme and subsequently use them in their home institutions.

Public Health Communication

Effective communication is essential during disease outbreaks and other emergencies.

The fellowship will therefore strengthen participants’ ability to communicate public health evidence, outbreak information, and training content to different audiences.

Fellows will learn to adapt their communication approaches according to:

• The target audience
• Cultural context
• Communication needs
• Level of urgency
• Nature of the public health information

Transformational Leadership

The programme also focuses on leadership in public health emergencies and learning environments.

Fellows will be expected to demonstrate ethical, inclusive, and accountable leadership while learning how to inspire and empower others to work toward shared public health goals.

Systems Thinking and Partnerships

Outbreak preparedness frequently requires collaboration across institutions, sectors, and national borders.

FOR-GHP therefore develops systems-thinking competencies that allow participants to engage with different stakeholders and build partnerships and coalitions.

This is intended to support coordinated approaches to outbreak preparedness and response.

Sustainable Public Health Workforce Development

The fellowship also seeks to strengthen public health workforce capacity through:

• Communities of practice
• Peer learning
• Mentorship
• Professional networks
• Knowledge exchange
• Long-term collaboration

These components are designed to ensure that learning continues beyond the formal fellowship period.

FOR-GHP Fellowship Programme Structure

The FOR-GHP programme runs for approximately 1.5 years and follows a blended Training-of-Trainers (ToT) model.

The programme combines three major components:

1. Three one-week in-person workshops
2. Distance-based learning and case-study development between workshops
3. Self-study eLearning modules

The three in-person workshops will take place in Hamburg, Germany; Accra, Ghana; and Kampala, Uganda.

Stage 1: Seven eLearning Modules

The programme begins with seven eLearning modules.

These modules will form an important part of the selection process because applicants will be assessed based partly on their performance in the online learning component.

The eLearning period runs from:

1 December 2026 to 1 January 2027

Applicants should therefore be prepared to dedicate sufficient time to completing the modules and participating in the assessment process.

Stage 2: First Workshop in Hamburg, Germany

Successful participants will attend the first in-person workshop in Hamburg, Germany.

The workshop is scheduled for:

12–17 April 2027

The first workshop will provide an opportunity for fellows to engage directly with trainers and other participants while developing competencies relevant to outbreak preparedness and response.

Following the first workshop, participants will begin developing a teaching case study that will eventually be piloted as part of the programme.

Stage 3: First In-Between Workshop Phase

After the Hamburg workshop, fellows will enter a distance-based learning phase.

During this period, participants will work on developing a case study that is ready for piloting.

The case study is expected to be relevant to the fellow’s professional and institutional context.

This component is particularly important because the fellowship is designed around the multiplier concept. Participants are not only expected to learn but also to develop resources that can subsequently be used to train others.

Stage 4: Second Workshop in Accra, Ghana

The second in-person workshop will take place in Accra, Ghana.

It is scheduled for:

11–15 October 2027

During this workshop, fellows will pilot-test their self-developed teaching case studies.

The pilot-testing process provides an opportunity for participants to receive feedback, refine their training approaches, and strengthen the practical application of their learning.

Stage 5: Implementation at the Home Institution

After the second workshop, fellows will enter another distance-based learning and implementation phase.

Participants will be expected to implement their teaching case studies at their home institutions.

This step is central to the programme’s multiplier approach because fellows will apply the knowledge and training resources developed during the fellowship to support capacity strengthening within their own institutions.

Stage 6: Third Workshop in Kampala, Uganda

The final in-person workshop will take place in Kampala, Uganda.

It is scheduled for:

3–7 July 2028

Participants will take part in the Sustainability Strengthening Initiative (SSI) during this final workshop.

The final stage focuses on sustaining the knowledge, networks, training capacity, and institutional impact developed throughout the fellowship.

FOR-GHP Fellowship Completion and Certification

Participants who successfully complete the programme will receive a FOR-GHP fellowship certificate.

Successful fellows will also receive 10 European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) points from the University of Basel for 300 hours of structured independent training and study.

The certification and academic credit provide formal recognition of the learning and training completed during the programme.

FOR-GHP Fellowship Eligibility Requirements

The fellowship is primarily designed for professionals working in sub-Saharan Africa.

Applicants should carefully review all eligibility requirements before applying.

1. Origin and Employment in Sub-Saharan Africa

The programme is intended to strengthen public health structures across sub-Saharan Africa.

Applicants should therefore have an origin from and employment in the sub-Saharan African region.

The opportunity is consequently targeted at professionals who are connected to public health systems and institutions in the region.

2. Professional Experience

Applicants must have at least two years of professional experience in either:

• Public health; or
• The biomedical sector.

Experience related to the management, prevention, and control of infectious diseases is particularly preferred.

Applicants should therefore be able to demonstrate relevant professional experience rather than relying solely on academic qualifications.

3. Academic Background

Applicants should have a degree or demonstrated proficiency in at least one relevant field.

Eligible academic or professional disciplines include:

• Public Health
• Medicine
• Epidemiology
• Microbiology
• Biology
• Allied health sciences

Applicants from related health-science backgrounds should carefully assess whether their education and professional experience align with the programme’s focus.

4. Employer Endorsement

Applicants must provide an endorsement document from their current employer.

The endorsement should confirm that the applicant is permitted to participate in the fellowship alongside their employment.

Importantly, the employer must confirm that the fellow will be:

• Released from work to attend all three in-person workshops
• Supported in completing the programme
• Supported in implementing the teaching case study at their institution

Applicants should therefore discuss the fellowship with their employers before submitting an application.

5. Letter of Recommendation

Applicants must provide a letter of recommendation from at least one current and contactable referee.

The reference must:

• Be from a current reference
• Not be older than three years
• Include the referee’s contact information
• Include an email address
• Include a telephone number

Applicants should ensure that their referees are aware that they may be contacted during the selection process.

6. English Language Proficiency

Advanced proficiency in English is essential because English will be used for course participation, learning, assessments, and interviews.

The programme accepts several forms of evidence of English proficiency, including:

• TOEFL Paper: 550
• TOEFL Computer: 213
• TOEFL Internet: 79–80
• IELTS: 6.0
• Being a native English speaker
• Having completed higher education in English, provided written proof is supplied

Applicants relying on higher education conducted in English should be prepared to provide appropriate written evidence.

7. Computer and Internet Requirements

Because parts of the programme will be delivered virtually, participants must have access to:

• A computer
• A stable internet connection
• Functioning audio
• A functioning microphone

Participation using only a mobile phone or tablet is not permitted.

Applicants should therefore ensure that they have suitable equipment and reliable connectivity before applying.

Participants may also be required to purchase additional airtime or internet data when necessary to participate in virtual activities.

FOR-GHP Fellowship Selection Process

Because the number of fellowship places is limited, applicants will go through a three-stage selection process.

Stage One: Access to the Seven eLearning Modules

The programme steering board will initially assess applications and select applicants who will be granted access to the first seven eLearning modules.

This stage is scheduled for December 2026.

The eLearning modules will subsequently contribute to the assessment of applicants.

Stage Two: Pre-Qualification and Interviews

Applicants will be assessed based on their performance in the seven eLearning modules.

The selection process will also consider:

• A pre-qualification test
• A short essay
• Additional selection criteria

Selected applicants will then be invited to participate in individual selection interviews.

The interviews will be conducted in English via Zoom and are scheduled to take place in January 2027.

Applicants should therefore be prepared to demonstrate both their professional knowledge and their ability to communicate effectively in English.

Stage Three: Final Fellowship Selection

Following the interviews, the final group of fellows will be selected.

Successful applicants will need to sign a learning contract to complete the admission process.

The final selection therefore considers more than academic qualifications alone and incorporates performance during the programme’s assessment and interview stages.

Fellowship Funding and Financial Support

The FOR-GHP Fellowship has no tuition fees.

The fellowship budget provides financial support for participation in the three mandatory in-person workshops.

Covered expenses include:

• Economy-class flights
• Visa fees
• Accommodation
• Daily meals during the workshops

However, participants will not receive daily allowances or per diems.

Applicants should therefore understand the distinction between the expenses covered by the programme and personal expenses that may not be covered.

Important Visa Information

Because the first workshop is scheduled to take place in Hamburg, Germany, selected participants will need to arrange the appropriate visa where required.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to consider booking a German embassy visa appointment in December 2026, even before receiving the final fellowship outcome, because visa appointment and processing times can be lengthy.

This recommendation is particularly relevant for applicants who require a visa to enter Germany.

Applicants should independently confirm the applicable visa requirements and procedures for their nationality and place of residence.

Gender Inclusion

The FOR-GHP programme encourages applications from people of all gender identities.

The programme seeks to build a diverse network of public health professionals working to strengthen outbreak preparedness and response across sub-Saharan Africa.

How to Apply for the FOR-GHP Fellowship

Interested applicants must complete the online application form and submit all required supporting documentation.

The application package should include the required eligibility and supporting documents, including a motivation letter in English in PDF format.

Applicants should ensure that every required document is completed and submitted before the deadline.

The programme states that:

• Applications must be submitted electronically.
• Hard-copy applications will not be accepted.
• Applications should not be sent by email.
• Incomplete applications will not be considered.
• Applicants should submit the required documentation through the official online application system.

FOR-GHP Fellowship Application Deadline

The application deadline is:

21 October 2026 at midnight CET

Applicants should avoid waiting until the final hours to submit their applications, particularly because incomplete applications will not be considered.

Application Link

Applicants can access the official online application form through the FOR-GHP application portal.

APPLY HERE

Who Should Apply for the FOR-GHP Fellowship?

The fellowship is particularly relevant to professionals who are already working in public health or biomedical environments and want to strengthen their expertise in outbreak readiness and become trainers and multipliers within their institutions.

Potentially suitable applicants include professionals working in areas such as:

• Public health
• Epidemiology
• Medicine
• Microbiology
• Biology
• Infectious disease prevention and control
• Public health surveillance
• Health emergency preparedness
• Biomedical sciences
• Allied health sciences
• Public health training and capacity development

Applicants should have at least two years of relevant professional experience, be connected to the sub-Saharan African region, have appropriate academic or professional qualifications, and have the support of their current employer.

Visit HERE to learn more about the FOR-GHP Fellowship 2027–2028.

Key Dates for the FOR-GHP Fellowship

Applicants should keep the following dates in mind:

What Makes the FOR-GHP Fellowship Different?

The fellowship combines professional development with institutional and regional capacity strengthening.

Instead of focusing exclusively on classroom-based learning, the programme requires fellows to apply their knowledge by developing and implementing teaching case studies in their own institutions.

The Training-of-Trainers model means participants are expected to become knowledge multipliers. This can allow the impact of the programme to extend beyond the individual fellow to colleagues, institutions, professional networks, and public health systems.

The combination of:

• eLearning
• Face-to-face workshops
• Simulation exercises
• Case-study development
• Teaching practice
• Institutional implementation
• Leadership development
• Regional networking
• Peer learning
• Mentorship

provides a comprehensive approach to professional development in outbreak readiness.

Tips for Applicants

Applicants can strengthen the quality of their application by carefully demonstrating how their professional experience aligns with the goals of the fellowship.

Particular attention should be given to the following:

Demonstrate relevant professional experience

Clearly explain your experience in public health, biomedical work, infectious disease prevention, surveillance, preparedness, or response.

Show institutional relevance

Explain how the skills gained through FOR-GHP could contribute to your current institution and public health work.

Highlight training or mentorship experience

Because the programme follows a multiplier and Training-of-Trainers model, applicants should clearly demonstrate any experience they have in training, mentoring, facilitating workshops, sharing knowledge, or developing educational materials.

Prepare the employer endorsement early

The employer endorsement is an important requirement because the fellowship involves three international workshops and implementation of a teaching case study at the applicant’s institution.

Applicants should therefore engage their employers early rather than waiting until the application deadline.

Prepare for online learning

The first seven eLearning modules are part of the selection process. Applicants should ensure that they have access to a suitable computer, reliable internet, and the necessary audio and microphone equipment.

Prepare for English-language interviews

Applicants who progress to the interview stage should be ready for an individual interview conducted in English via Zoom.

Begin considering visa arrangements

Applicants who require a German visa should pay attention to the programme’s recommendation regarding early visa appointments, particularly because the first workshop is scheduled to take place in Hamburg in April 2027.

Conclusion

The FOR-GHP Fellowship in Outbreak Readiness for Global Health Protection provides an extensive professional development opportunity for public health and biomedical professionals working in sub-Saharan Africa.

Through its blended Training-of-Trainers approach, the programme addresses several areas that are central to modern outbreak preparedness, including infectious disease surveillance, public health intelligence, One Health, emergency preparedness, communication, leadership, systems thinking, training, mentorship, and regional collaboration.

The fellowship also goes beyond individual learning by requiring participants to develop and implement teaching case studies within their home institutions. This multiplier approach is intended to help translate fellowship learning into broader institutional and regional capacity.

There are no tuition fees, while the programme provides support for economy-class travel, visa fees, accommodation, and meals associated with the three in-person workshops in Hamburg, Accra, and Kampala.

Qualified professionals from sub-Saharan Africa with at least two years of public health or biomedical experience and relevant academic or professional backgrounds are encouraged to consider applying.

The application deadline is 21 October 2026 at midnight CET, and applicants should ensure that all required documents, including the motivation letter, employer endorsement, recommendation, and evidence of English proficiency where applicable, are prepared before submitting the online application.

For more fellowship opportunity visit OFY HERE