Fellowship awards: Australia Awards Fellowship Vaccine Research Training Masterclasses

Mr. Fulgence Niyibitegeka, PhD student at the Economics of Global Health and Infectious Diseases Unit, was awarded a fellowship to attend a Vaccine Research Training Masterclasses from the 26th to the 29th of October 2023 in Indonesia.

The funding was provided by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) through the Asia-Pacific Vaccine Research Network, hosted by the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute. The fellowship provided a unique opportunity for Mr. Fulgence to expand his knowledge in the broad area of vaccinology as he is specializing in the economics of vaccines. Specifically, the workshop masterclasses covered diverse topics including making decisions regarding new vaccines, vaccine effectiveness and impact studies, strengthening clinical trial in LMICs for decision making, designing the research needed to address vaccine hesitancy and measure the impact of behavioural interventions, and vaccine safety surveillance. The Masterclass was a great opportunity for Fulgence to learn from and network with experts in the area from several leading institutions both regional and international including the World Health Organization.