About the Fellowship
Kofi Atta Annan, the seventh Secretary-General of the United
Nations, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, and founding chair of
the Kofi Annan Foundation, exemplified visionary and principled
leadership over the course of his life and career. Of his numerous
accomplishments was the establishment of the Global Fund for
AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria (The Global Fund), which changed
the approach to preventing and managing infectious diseases and
the practice of public health globally. Visionary and principled
leadership is critical for Africa to implement a new public health
order that will enhance the timely detection and effective response
to public health threats, and to ensure Africa has a healthy and
productive population. It is also critical for mitigating the economic
and social effects of these health threats while contributing to
sustainable achievement of Africa’s Agenda 2063 and the
Sustainable Development Goals.
The African Union Commission launched the Africa Centres
for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) Kofi Annan
Fellowship in Public Health Leadership on 25 May 2020 in
partnership with the Kofi Annan Foundation, following its
approval by the Governing Board of Africa CDC in March 2018.
The Fellowship aims to support aspirational public health leaders
(Fellows) in Africa in acquiring advanced skills and competencies
to strategize, manage and lead public health programmes that
will positively transform public health in Africa. Fellows admitted
in the programme will be senior public health professionals from
African Union Member States who will contribute to and lead the
implementation of a new public health order for Africa, and in turn
develop the next generation of public health leaders.
Why apply for the Fellowship
The programme targets aspirational leaders with a background in
any field of public health including, but not limited to, One Health,
medicine, finance, policy, animal health, or environmental health.
These are leaders who want to acquire advanced skills in leading
impactful health initiatives, employing health diplomacy, as well
as enhance their ability to develop bold, strategic and achievable
goals to propel Africa towards achieving Agenda 2063. If this
is your aspiration and you are ready to advance public health
outcomes in Africa, you should apply.
What the Fellowship includes
The Fellowship will support 12 months of high-level professional
development in advanced public health leadership that includes
acquiring skills in health diplomacy, change management,
influencing policy, among others. Fellows will be supported by
experienced experts in relevant fields from Africa and the diaspora.
At the end of the programme, Fellows would have developed skills:
▶ for competent leadership styles that influence and empower
others to achieve ambitious multi-dimensional health goals;
▶ to frame and develop a viable strategic vision for bold, yet
attainable goals for positive health outcomes;
▶ for well-rounded globally competent leadership with
attributes such as vision, resilience, flexibility and efficiency
▶ to steer the complex environment of public health practice to
achieve and maintain positive impact; and
▶ in health politics, negotiation, partnerships, and
health diplomacy.
Fellowship format
The Fellowship will use a hybrid learning methodology that includes
self-directed learning to accomplish a Personal Development
Plan (PDP) over 12 months. Experiential learning shall take place
through webinars, keynote lectures, online self-directed study with
evaluations, case studies and an individual leadership challenge
project. It will include eight weeks of institutional residential
placements for all Fellows as a cohort. Fellows will spend the
rest of the training period in their home country, continuing with
their regular work responsibilities while also completing assigned
courses and implementing the leadership challenge project.
Fellows will be matched with experienced mentors and coaches
to support their continued learning experience.
Fellowship eligibility criteria
Applicants for the Fellowship must:
▶ be citizens of an African Union Member State;
▶ possess a postgraduate degree in a relevant field in
public health;
▶ have relevant professional experience in any field of public
health, including but not limited to one health, medicine,
finance, health economics, health policy, animal health, or
environmental health;
▶ be in full-time employment in any area of public health, in a
private or public institution in Africa;
▶ have a good track record or be able to demonstrate the
potential for effective public health leadership where
they can positively impact the public health outcomes
of populations.
Fellowship selection
Selection to the Fellowship will be by an independent committee
comprising experts from the African Union Commission and
Africa CDC, and their global partners. The selection process
will emphasize an equal opportunity approach to secure the
representation of women and underrepresented groups.
Financing
Africa CDC will provide all learning and development materials
and meet all costs associated with the fellowship, including travel,
daily allowance and insurance during the residential placements.
Fellows will be supported to ensure that they have the relevant
software for online learning.
How to apply
All applications must be submitted using the online application
form. Incomplete applications will not be considered. All applicants
must provide the following required information:
▶ A supporting letter from the current employer to confirm
employment, guaranteeing that the candidate will be
allowed enough time to participate in the Fellowship
programme and to attend the full eight weeks of institutional
residential experience.
▶ Letters of recommendation from two reputable
professional referees.
▶ A personal statement (maximum 500 words) providing
evidence of the candidate’s commitment to public health in
Africa detailing the following:
– Their leadership experience and professional attainment
– Their vision of, and the future impact of effective public
health leadership in Africa
– How they would champion public health initiatives in Africa
– How their personal and professional integrity would enable
them to fully participate and benefit from the fellowship.
▶ A leadership challenge project proposal
(maximum 750 words) that outlines a potential leadership
challenge project they will implement. The proposal should
include a title, brief description of the challenge (the what,
the who is affected, and the why), proposed strategy for a
solution, and the expected outcome.
Completed applications with all supporting documents should be
sent in a single email to: KofiAnnanFellowship@africa-union.org.
Incomplete applications and applications sent to other email
addresses will not be considered.
Africa CDC is an equal opportunity organization; qualified
candidates, including women, are strongly encouraged to apply.
Important dates
▶ Deadline for applications: 11 December 2020 at 5.00 pm Eastern Africa Time.
▶ Successful applicants will be informed by 30 December 2020.
▶ The Fellowship will start on 1 February 2021.
For more information related to the Fellowship, please contact:
Dr Raji Tajudeen
Faith Nekabari Nfii
TajudeenR@africa-union.org
Nfiif@africa-union.org
For more information please open this link
Kofi Annan Global Health Leadership Programme
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