PROJECT SUMMARY: The SARETI research ethics doctoral leadership program will extend the achievements
of the SARETI Masters run by our intensively multidisciplinary faculty since 2002. The PhD program will offer
comprehensive, multidisciplinary advanced doctoral and leadership training in research ethics for 4-5
African candidates holding at least a Masters degree in research ethics or bioethics, or exceptionally,
equivalent qualifications with substantial research ethics publications. By training 4-5 highly qualified African
ethicists SARETI will make a major contribution towards African and international scholarship and leadership in
research ethics in Africa, equipping a new leadership generation. Candidates must be based in a research-
active center, have interest, capacity and experience compatible with one or more of the following three
thematic focus areas of our program:
• Improving health research systems in Africa through research ethics leadership
• Improving effectiveness and efficiency of ethics review systems through research ethics leadership
• Maximizing social value of research in Africa through research ethics leadership
A two-part selection process will invite the top 8 candidates to an intensive 6-week proposal-writing workshop
and interactive selection process that includes visits to 6 leading local NIH-funded research sites (CAPRISA,
HPP, KRISP, HAVEG, DTTC, FAMCRU), exposing candidates to cutting-edge health research and real ethical
issues from which they may select PhD topics relevant to our programme themes, regional health agendas and
alignment with the mission of the NIH. Multimodal selection criteria include presentations and excellence and
viability of the draft PhD research proposal by week 6. After 6 weeks the top 4-5 PhD fellows will be selected
and the others will return home with a certificate. This will be followed by short advanced workshops,
including qualitative and quantitative research methodology and advanced ethics workshops on our thematic
focus areas. PhD fellows will return home after 10 weeks. Further intensive on-site training will be offered
annually with a cumulative 9 months on-site for thematic workshops and PhD supervision over the 5-year
program. In year 2, fellows attend an Intensive Bioethics Program at our US partner, the Berman Bioethics
Center at Johns Hopkins University, including visits to OHRP, FDA and Georgetown University. Tailored
research ethics workshops will be offered at UKZN in years 1-4, based partly on the thematic focus and the
needs of the PhD cohort, including leadership training, qualitative and quantitative data analysis, grant-
writing skills, adult education skills, publication skills, presentation skills, mentorship training, REC/IRB
management training, media training. Each fellow will have a research supervisor and a career development
mentor, based on the successful NIH-funded UKZN DRILL D43 research leadership program on which the
lead PI of this application is Co-PI. The cohort is expected to complete the PhD in 4-5 years. In year 5,
candidates will help organize SARETI's 4th African Health Research Ethics Symposium (AHRES IV),
presenting keynotes on their research findings and engaging in structured networking with African and
international stakeholders.