TIMERA launches with successful kick-off meeting to strengthen epidemic modelling capacity in Africa

The Training Initiative for Modelling Epidemic Response in Africa (TIMERA), funded with a €1.3 million grant under the Global Health EDCTP3 programme, officially launched with a highly successful virtual kick-off meeting on 21 July 2026. The meeting was well attended (nearly 40 participants), bringing together representatives from CEPI, the Ethiopian Ministry of Health, Africa CDC, Addis Ababa University leadership and faculty, and all TIMERA consortium partners and institutional collaborators, demonstrating a strong commitment to strengthening epidemic modelling capacity across Africa.

TIMERA aims to strengthen mathematical and statistical modelling capacity across sub-Saharan Africa to improve public health event detection, scenario planning, and outbreak response through advanced epidemiological modelling and data-driven decision-making. During the meeting, consortium partners presented the project’s work packages, discussed implementation plans, and agreed on key priorities for the first reporting period, including curriculum development, mentorship, data management, communications, and fellow recruitment. The project will train 50 fellows in epidemic modelling over three cohorts through a one-year programme combining face-to-face teaching, online learning, and practical experience. Participants also reaffirmed their commitment to gender-balanced fellow recruitment, strong collaboration across African and European institutions, and timely delivery of project milestones and deliverables. The kick-off meeting concluded with a shared vision to establish a sustainable network of highly skilled epidemic modellers equipped to strengthen preparedness and response to infectious disease threats across Africa.