The African Small Companion Animal Network (AFSCAN), a project of the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) Foundation, works to raise standards of veterinary care in Sub-Saharan Africa through enhancing the education offered to veterinarians. It is also capacity building through facilitating the creation of a sustainable network of companion animal veterinary associations and specialist groups.
We are pleased to announce the fourth year of our AFSCAN Scientific Research Grants. These Grants will support the training and development of both veterinary students and academics working in Africa today and, we hope, inspire a new generation of African veterinary researchers and future educators from Africa. Importantly, we hope that they will also increase the current knowledge base of diseases and welfare issues affecting companion animals in African and build links between African veterinary researchers and laboratories around the world.
Thanks to generous support from our sponsors Zoetis, PetPlan and the Swiss Small Animal Veterinary Association, we are offering two types of grant:
The AFSCAN Research Award
This gives African academics working at a veterinary school in AFSCAN-participating countries [Ghana, Kenya, Namibia, Nigeria, Tanzania and Uganda and expanded recently to Zambia] the opportunity to secure a grant to fund a clinical research project of their own devising. The project should seek to answer a specific question related to disease or the welfare of small companion animals in Africa and would be carried out in the applicant’s laboratory within their veterinary school. Through these applications, AFSCAN aims to foster research collaboration with research laboratories outside of Africa working in a similar field so applicants may nominate proposed partner laboratories as part of the application process.
In 2019 AFSCAN offers funding to a maximum of US$10,000 for each successful project.
All applications will be considered through a formal peer-review process undertaken by the WSAVA Scientific Advisory Committee with potential projects reviewed for scientific novelty and validity, ethical basis and relevance to the African situation. The final decision will made by the AFSCAN Project Board.
The AFSCAN Studentship Award
This grant will enable African undergraduate veterinary students to spend time during their last two years of study participating in a research project in a laboratory, either at their own veterinary school or elsewhere. It is important that the chosen project addresses issues related to disease or the welfare of companion animals of relevance to African society.
Successful applicants will receive a studentship of $1,000 to cover their living expenses for the period of the award and bench fees or consumables for the research project.
This Award is open to all veterinary undergraduates (in the final two years of study) in the AFSCAN-participating countries with applications made not by students, but by their veterinary school. Each veterinary school is able to put forward ONE application for their top student.
All applications will be considered through a formal peer-review process with potential projects reviewed for scientific validity. The final decision will made by the AFSCAN Project Board.
Full details of the Awards, including selection criteria, application processes and terms and conditions are available at http://www.afscan.org/. Applications are now open and the closing date is 28th February, 2019.
Please note that for Research Awards, each application must be accompanied by a letter of endorsement from the National Small Animal Veterinary Association (where such an Association exists).
- AFSCAN Research Awards Terms and Conditions
- AFSCAN Studentships Application Form
- AFSCAN Research Awards Application Form
- AFSCAN Research Awards Progress Report
Completed applications must be submitted by e-mail (profmjday@gmail.com) with the subject of the message clearly indicating ‘AFSCAN Research Proposal’. The review and decision process will take up to three months, after which, successful applicants will be informed. In the case of the Studentship Award, successful applicants will be informed through their veterinary school and/or local AFSCAN Ambassador.
More information on the AFSCAN initiative is available here.
