Call for Applications

       A.    Overview

Maximum number of Selected Participants: Fifteen (15) 

Call Opening date: October 20, 2025, 08:00 GMT

Call Closing date: November 09, 2025, 17:00 GMT

Projected Announcement of Selected Participants:  November 23, 2025, 15:00 GMT

Introduction

The Severe Neonatal Infection Adaptive Platform Trials in Africa (SNIP-AFRICA) Consortium is organizing the maiden edition of the Neonatal Sepsis Course as part of the capacity-building initiative for staff on the SNIP-AFRICA project. This training scheme will build competencies in current understanding on neonatal sepsis care and management, research identification and critical appraisal among researchers, healthcare professionals, and academics involved the SNIP-AFRICA project. The training will combine prerecorded modules and mentor-guided group trainings leading to group presentations and assessments.

Objectives of the call

The online training aims to support clinical practice and management of sepsis among neonates and provide a platform for collaborative learning and networking among the research staff of the various Work packages from all study sites through review and critique of scientific papers.

Target group

This training is targeted at the staff of the various Work Packages in all study sites in the SNIP-AFRICA Consortium. Selected applicants would be required to complete all Phase 1 sessions of the training before being eligible to participate in the Phase 2 of the Training Module. 

Scope of Training

This training will focus on helping participants build competence in the following themes required for clinical research: Neonatal sepsis care and management, Scientific Literature Search, Referencing, Bibliography and Plagiarism, Reading and Critiquing a Scientific Paper, and Scientific Communication.

General Description of the course

This training course is structured in two complementary sections designed to build both foundational knowledge and applied research skills in neonatal sepsis.

Section 1: Self-Paced Learning & Self-Assessment

Participants begin with an in-depth, self-paced learning journey covering the identification, treatment, and management of neonatal sepsis. Through a series of modules featuring pre-recorded video lessons and downloadable slides, learners explore: causes and mechanisms of neonatal sepsis; diagnostic strategies, including clinical signs and lab tests; antibiotic selection, dosing, and administration in neonates; monitoring treatment response and managing complications

Section 2: Working Groups & Research Paper Analysis

This section shifts to collaborative learning through workshops focused on scientific literature. Participants are introduced to the SNIP-AFRICA framework and grouped to analyze selected research papers. The workshops guide learners through literature search and paper structure; referencing and scientific critique; evaluation of research questions, methods, and findings. Live webinars support group work, culminating in a journal club session where each group presents their analysis, demonstrating their
understanding of the paper’s content and clinical relevance.

Conclusion & Certification

To complete the course, participants fill out an evaluation survey. Upon successful completion of the self-assessment quiz and participation in the journal club, they receive a certificate of attendance recognizing their engagement and achievement.

Learning Schedule Overview

The training program spans approximately five months, though participants are not expected to be engaged continuously throughout.

Phase 1 lasts around ten weeks and consists of five modules, each including a one-hour lesson with accompanying materials. Participants should plan to dedicate about 2–4 hours per module, following a recommended pace of one module every two weeks. Phase 2 is more intensive, running for eight weeks and centered on collaborative group work and guided analysis of scientific papers. During this phase, participants attend a live webinar every two weeks, focusing on key skills for critically reading and discussing research. The course concludes with a journal club presentation and an evaluation survey, after which participants receive a certificate of attendance.

More details about the schedule will be shared with the recruited students.

       B.      Eligibility

             To be eligible for this training, the applicant:

1.  Must be a staff of a partner in the SNIP-AFRICA Consortium
2.  Must be either a healthcare professional (medical doctors, nurses, pharmacists, lab scientists, allied health workers etc), or a researcher (clinical research coordinators, trial  monitors and data managers, biostatisticians and data analysts, research assistants)
3.  Must have a minimum educational qualification of an HND or undergraduate degree in a health, biomedical, statistics, or related science field 
4.  Must be available to participate in all sessions (Part 1 and 2)  the Course

       C.     Application

How to apply

Access the online application form and instructions here, complete all required sections and submit before November 09, 2025, 17:00 GMT.

Review of the application

An independent panel will review all complete applications submitted, culminating in the preliminary shortlisting.