The TEBWA project involves two M.Sc. programs, and the project fellows are expected to carry out research at the end of their training. To ensure that their fellows complete quality research and on time, the project has scheduled a workshop to evaluate the students’ research protocols. In addition to excellence in academic training, the TEBWA project puts a strong emphasize on supporting its fellows to succeed in their professional life. For this purpose, the project has also put in place a mentoring program for its fellows. As such, each fellow has been assigned a mentor. The aim of the mentoring program is, among other, to enable the fellows to benefit from the experience, network, and guidance of their mentors, to ensure the success of their academic studies and, above all, better integration into the professional life. To this end, the project also planned a training for mentors and mentees on the principles, tools, and techniques for successful mentoring.

The short-term objectives of this workshop were to :

• evaluate the research protocols of the project fellows, 
• provide constructive review for the fellows to improve their research proposals,
• train TEBWA fellows on principles and techniques to perform a systematic review
• train TEBWA fellows and their mentors on the principles, tools, and techniques for successful mentoring. 

In the medium term, this workshop aimed to enable the fellows to complete their dissertations on time and maximize the benefits of mentoring.

The workshop took place from 20^th to 24^th March 2023 at GANNA Hôtel, Grand Popo.  The project coordinator Prof Romain GLELE KAKAI and Professor Dismand HOUINATO (coordinator of the master program in epidemiology and public health interventions) gave the opening remarks. The training on the mentoring was given for three days by Dr Eric AGOYI (an international expert) who was supported by Prof Flora CHADARE (an invited guest from the National University of Agriculture of Benin). On the day 4, the TEBWA fellows presented their research proposal. They received comments and suggestions from the project team members and other experts that were invited. Finally, Dr Valère SALAKO (the PI-assistant) train the fellows on the principles and techniques to perform a systematic review. The workshop was closed by a short meeting of the coordination team. 

The Master programme in Biostatistics and the PhD programme in Biometry of the doctoral school of agronomic sciences and water of the University of Abomey-Calavi (Republic of Benin) every year attract several students from different countries in Sub-Sahara Africa. The students are supported (through scholarship) by many programmes. Currently ongoing programmes which support foreign students include the DAAD In-Country/In-Region Programme in Developing Countries and the EDCTP – European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership. 

As these students are far from their families, parents, and friends in their country, they might feel “lonely” during  the celebration of the new year. It is with this background that the coordinator of these two training programmes, Prof. Romain GLELE KAKAÏ  invited all the foreign students that stayed in Benin to celebrate the new year. Five students supported by the EDCPT project TEBWA were part of this celebration. 

It was a very pleasant time, and all participants were happy and wished that this kind of this initiative to be sustained. 

TEBWA fellows, members of LABEF and foreign students in different training programmes are very committed and hardworking people. After a period of hard work, they gathered at Cotonou Beach for a relaxation time. Far from their books and computers, they had fun, danced, socialized, and enjoyed special dishes made in Benin.

After one year of hard work, it was necessary to gather TEBWA fellows for a relaxation time. The project team organized a two-days meeting at Grand-Popo, a coastal city in southern Benin. The project team members which are experienced, and renowned scientists, shared their experiences and success stories with TEBWA fellows. The fellows also presented their road purpose map. The idea was to inspire the fellows and encourage excellence. It was also a relaxation time for project fellows and team members. 

Grantees for the Master programme in Biostatistics 

Nr	Last_name	First_name	Nationality	Gender
1	AGBI	Delight Mawufemor	Ghana	Female
2	AMOUSSOUVI	Koomi Toussaint	Benin	Male
3	OKEY	Gaëlle Manuela	Benin	Female
4	OYEDELE	Habeeb	Nigeria	Male
5	SESAY	Marwan, Vaphy	Liberia	Male
6	SINLETE	Ghislaine Akoua Maryline	Benin	Female
7	TUO	Ouanan Nicolas	Côte d’Ivoire	Male
8	ZANVO	Setondji Diane Edwige	Benin	Female

Grantees for the Master programme in Epidemiology and Public Health interventions 

Nr	Last_name	First_name	Nationality	Gender
1	ABDOU NEINO	MOUSSA	Niger	Male
2	DIALLO	Rouguiatou	Guinée	Female
3	Coulibaly	Bakary	Mali	Male
4	DOVOEDO	Elodie	Benin	Female
5	FASSINOU	Marc Syeven M	Togo	Male
6	OBOSSOU	Rebecca Bertille Kadoukpè	Benin	Female
7	SALLAN	Ortiz	Benin	Male

Context

Reliable epidemiological data are often unavailable or severely limited in sub-Saharan Africa. This knowledge gap is further aggravated by a shortage of skilled personnel in epidemiology and biostatistics to efficiently monitor, analyse and interpret epidemiological data to inform policy and decision making. The 2019 coronavirus disease pandemic (Covid-19) has further revealed the lack of skilled human resources to effectively deal with epidemics in sub-Saharan Africa. It is therefore necessary to train epidemiologists and biostatisticians for sub-Saharan Africa, capable of working in collaboration with national health departments and national public health agencies. They should also be able to work in collaboration with international organizations such as the World Health Organization’s Regional Office for Africa, the West African Health Organization (WAHO), and Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), to collectively conduct routine surveillance, conduct public health research and respond effectively to epidemics.

The University of Abomey-Calavi in ​​Benin (through the Laboratoire de Biomathématiques et d’Estimations Forestières – LABEF / FSA / UAC, and the Laboratory of Epidemiology of Chronic and Neurological Diseases – LEMACEN / FSS / UAC) in consortium with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM, England), and the National Agency for Primary Health Care of the Ministry of Health (ANSSP/MoH, Benin), secured funding from the 2^nd European and developing countries Partnership for clinical trials Program (EDCTP) to implement the project “Training epidemiologists and biostatisticians for enhanced response to disease outbreak and epidemic in west Africa – TEBWA”. This project aims to train 15 Masters level specialists in Epidemiology and Biostatistics for West Africa.

This call for applications is for the recruitment of candidates for the Master in Biostatistics (08) and the Master in Epidemiology and Interventions in Public Health (07) for the academic year 2021-2022. Selected candidates will benefit from living expenses for two years as well as research costs, airline tickets for international candidates (round trip once between the candidate’s country of origin and Cotonou in Benin) and an attractive and competitive framework for mentoring, tutoring, and research in Biostatistics and Epidemiology. The courses of the Master in Biostatistics are entirely taught in English, while the courses of the Master in Epidemiology are entirely taught in French. The two courses (Master in Biostatistics, Master in Epidemiology and Public Health Interventions) will take place on the campus of the University of Abomey-Calavi, based in Benin. The selected candidates from francophone (respectively anglophone) countries will also benefit from an initial training in English (respectively French) in the form of intensive courses in order to be able to follow the courses normally.

Who can apply?

This call is open to people with a diploma equivalent to at least a Bachelor’s degree in the fields of Life Sciences (agronomy, environment, health, epidemiology, pharmacy, etc.), or in Mathematics / Statistics and wishing to acquire knowledge and know-how in Biostatistics and Epidemiology.

Components of the application file

• A motivation letter from the applicant indicating the selected Master’s degree (Biostatistics or Epidemiology and interventions in public health)
• An up-to-date curriculum vitae (template downloadable here: please complete, sign, and scan)
• Certified copies of the baccalaureate diploma and all other higher education diplomas
• Certified copies of transcripts from the baccalaureate and all university years
• A letter of recommendation
• A letter from hierarchical superior indicating that the applicant has the support of his home Institution and that he will be able to return to the institution once the studies are completed (for civil servants).

Submission of the application file

All application materials must be submitted:

• Online using this link (https://bit.ly/3soBH1x). This form is to be filled in by all applicants.
• By physical deposit at the secretariat of the Laboratoire de Biomathématiques et d’Estimations Forestières – LABEF / FSA / UAC every working day from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 P.M. and from 1:00 P.M. to 4:00 P.M. for the master’s degree in Biostatistics.
• By physical deposit at the administrative secretariat of the doctoral school of health sciences every working day from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. for the Master in Epidemiology and interventions in public health.

Application deadline

Applications must be submitted no later than September 10, 2021 at 5:00 p.m. GMT

Selected candidates will be notified no later than September 25, 2021 at 5:00 p.m. GMT. The intensive English/French courses will start on October 11, 2021 and the courses will start on December 1, 2021.

Additional information

  For any other information, please send an email to: tebwa2021@gmail.com

Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply!