The Excell Malaria Programme 2025 is a major research capacity-building and leadership initiative offering early-career malaria researchers in Africa a transformative opportunity. Led by the Africa Research Excellence Fund (AREF), the two-year programme supports research excellence, institutional strengthening, and policy engagement with targeted funding of up to US $50,000 per institution.
This blog outlines how to apply, eligibility criteria, programme benefits, and expert tips from GrantsDatabase.org on preparing a competitive proposal.
What Is the Excell Malaria Programme 2025?
The Excell Malaria Programme 2025 is designed to strengthen leadership and research capacity across malaria-endemic African countries. It provides a mix of experiential training, mentorship, networking, and institutional funding to implement internal capacity-building projects aligned with national health strategies.
The programme runs from January 2026 to January 2028, empowering institutions and individuals to transform research into public health impact.
Key Benefits of the Programme
- 🧪 Up to US $50,000 for each selected institution to run research-support initiatives
- 📚 Experiential learning through three intensive workshops
- 🤝 Ongoing mentorship and coaching for researchers and institutional leads
- 🧭 Policy and leadership-focused training
- 🌍 Networking with global malaria researchers
- 📊 Baseline and endline evaluations for sustainable institutional change
Eligibility Criteria
To qualify:
- You must be a national of an African country, employed by an African institution conducting malaria research.
- You should have 2–8 years post-PhD experience, or be a clinician with an MD and research-based Master’s degree plus 4–8 years of research.
- Applicants must not have participated in a prior Excell programme.
- Your research must align with your country’s national malaria control or elimination strategy and have direct public health relevance.
How to Apply
Application is institution-based, not individual.
Step-by-Step Process:
- Institutional Nomination
- Identify a senior malaria researcher to act as Institutional Lead (IL).
- The IL will lead the application and coordinate five early-career researcher nominations.
- Internal Selection
- Institutions will nominate five early-career researchers to participate.
- Prepare Application
- Institutional preparation may take 6–8 weeks, including proposal writing and documentation.
- Submit Online
- Use the official portal below to apply.
👉 Apply Now via the AREF Portal
👉 Read More About the Programme
🗓️ Deadline: October 15, 2025
Learning Themes Covered
The programme focuses on five major themes critical to building research capacity:
- Leadership and Strategy
- Researcher Effectiveness
- Grant Development
- Research Management
- Responsible Research Conduct
Expert Opinion from GrantsDatabase.org
“To build a compelling proposal for the Excell Malaria Programme 2025, institutions must align clearly with national malaria goals and outline a feasible plan for internal research capacity growth,” says GrantsDatabase.org’s Proposal Advisory Team.
“Prioritize early-career researchers with proven publication records and institutional engagement. Be precise, policy-focused, and show measurable impact over two years.”
Need Help With Your Proposal?
📩 Contact GrantsDatabase.org for:
- Proposal drafting
- Refining your strategy
- Pre-submission review
We specialize in ensuring your Excell Malaria Programme 2025 proposal meets the standards for funding success.
Final Thoughts
The Excell Malaria Programme 2025 is more than a grant—it’s a strategic pathway to strengthen malaria research leadership in Africa. If your institution has a vision for transforming public health through research, this is your opportunity to take it forward.
📌 Submit your application before October 15, 2025, and position your team at the forefront of malaria research innovation.
