Africa Research Excellence Fund - AREF was founded in 2015 to improve the quality and impact of health research in Africa. The organisation nurtures research talent in Africa by investing in technical and leadership skills and training. AREF was founded by Professor Sir Tumani Corrah, supported by the Medical Research Foundation. Their work aims to build an inspired, committed, and talented community of researchers in Africa leading world-class research and participating equitably in international research endeavours for health and wellbeing.
AREF works with the most promising early-career researchers who require access to opportunities to boost their careers. It supports research communities in Africa and encourage them to build their networks and partner with international research institutes.
Strategy and Mission
AREF'S mission is to nurture, mentor and support a community of researchers across Africa to become research experts and leaders, capable of tackling African and global health challenges. AREF’s ambitions are rooted in the strong conviction that Africa’s health research agenda and priorities should be defined by Africans, in partnership with leading researchers across the world.
Strategic Goals
To improve opportunities for early-career researchers and build capacity, create equitable and inclusive research ecosystems, establish dynamic research communities that collaborate, and enhance brand and profile.
Core Values
The organization's core values revolve around being people-oriented, nurturing emerging talent, promoting equity and inclusivity, and fostering partnerships.
In its first five years of operation, AREF provided potentially life-changing opportunities to over 300 researchers from 34 countries across Africa, setting them on the path to leading their own research teams within the continent. Since then, we have made tremendous progress:
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AREF is where it is today thanks to the support of the Medical Research Foundation in the UK, a charity that has incubated and helped to build the organisation, including its governance and infrastructure, as the organisation move to independence.
The Trustees are responsible for all elements of the charity’s work including setting strategy, making good use of the charity’s money and resources, ensuring good practice, and reporting to funders, partners and regulators. AREF also has additional oversight bodies who provide pro bono support; these are the College of Experts, the Programme Strategy Committee, and the Institutional and Donor Due Diligence Committees.
Prior to 2022, AREF was linked to the UK Medical Research Foundation, the charity which helped set it up in 2015. As a linked charity, AREF’s Annual Report and Financial Statements were incorporated into those of the Foundation.
Click Here To Access Copies of AREF Annual Reports since 2015.
Contact Us:
Africa Research Excellence Fund
c/o MRC Unit The Gambia at LSHTM
Atlantic Boulevard, Fajara
P.O. Box 273, Banjul, The Gambia
Email: aref@aref-africa.org.uk
Website: www.africaresearchexcellencefund.org.uk
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