Our work in detail
The HIV Vaccine Research Network (HVRN) builds on the foundation established by the Enterprise African Research Network (EARN) in 2020 to strengthen African leadership in HIV vaccine research and development (R&D).
Originally launched as the Global HIV Vaccine Enterprise to expand African researchers’ knowledge of HIV vaccine R&D, the HVRN today is a broader collaborative network dedicated to advancing HIV vaccine science and advocacy, knowledge exchange and African-led engagement in HIV vaccine research across the continent. By pairing rigorous training through our academies with the guidance of our Mentorship Programme and amplifying collective voices through our advocacy work, we are supporting a generation of African HIV vaccine champions who are equipped, connected and ready to lead.
The EARN programme is composed of:
The HIV Vaccine Academies
The HIV Vaccine Academies are designed to empower the next generation of early- to mid-career researchers and advocates from central, eastern, southern and western Africa and equip them to carve their paths as independent researchers and dynamic change makers in the HIV vaccine field.
Goals:
- Expert-led training: Deliver training on state-of-the-art HIV vaccine R&D, including vaccine and trial design, laboratory and data analysis, scientific writing, and the literacy needed to understand and disseminate findings to communities and stakeholders.
- Amplifying African voices: Expand the network of African researchers and advocates working in the HIV vaccine field and empower fellows to actively champion HIV vaccine science in their communities, with policy makers and in the media.
- Networking and collaboration: Enable fellows to engage with global leaders in the HIV vaccine field and establish sustainable networks across research institutions, creating momentum for African-led research.
- Stakeholder and community engagement: Galvanize support for HIV vaccine R&D by equipping fellows to bridge the gap between science and the communities, policy makers and stakeholders who need to prioritize it.
HIV Vaccine Science Academy
Meet the fellows and read their stories in the 2026 edition of HIV Vaccine Science Academy
HIV Vaccine Advocacy Academy
Meet the fellows and read their stories in the 2024 edition of the HIV Vaccine Advocacy Academy
The HIV Vaccine Mentorship Programme
The Mentorship Programme offers empowerment opportunities for early- to mid-career investigators conducting HIV vaccine research on the African continent.
Goals:
- Guidance: Inspire mentees to set goals for personal growth and learning.
- Building connections: Connect established scientific leaders in the HIV vaccine field with emerging scientists from central, eastern, southern and western Africa.
- Long-term impact: Strengthen mentees’ productivity, self-efficacy and career satisfaction.
- Networking opportunities: Provide opportunities for mentees to establish a sustainable network across research institutions and create momentum for African-led research.
Our advocacy work
Through our advocacy work, we convene researchers, advocates and policy makers from across the African continent through virtual workshops and webinars to champion the science, strengthen African leadership, and advocate for the sustainable financing needed to keep HIV vaccine research on the global health agenda.
Goals:
- Safeguarding the science: Mobilize researchers and advocates to protect HIV vaccine R&D from deprioritization, ensuring that the field continues to advance.
- Securing sustainable financing: Strengthen capacity to engage policy makers and advocate for long-term investment in HIV vaccine research across the continent.
- Amplifying African voices: Equip African researchers and advocates to engage confidently in diverse advocacy spaces, ensuring that African priorities shape the HIV vaccine agenda.