UICC Fellowships reopen for applications

Whilst travel restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic are anticipated to continue for some time, the re-opening of the Technical Fellowships programme coincides with the annual launch of the 2020 YY Study Grants, allowing interested individuals to apply for in-person fellowship visits to take place next year. The Technical Fellowships and its sub-programme dedicated to Francophone Africa support one-month visits or observerships on public health, research, or clinical-related topics, and the YY Study Grants support three-month research collaborative visits. Step-by-step guides to the Technical Fellowships online application process are provided in English, French and Spanish. 

The Virtual Fellowships, which were introduced in June 2020 in response to the global pandemic, run in parallel to the above calls and provide an online alternative to in-person fellowship visits for individuals working at UICC member organisations. They leverage expertise from UICC’s network to enable participants to access support and guidance in cancer control through a series of four one-hour video calls in English, French or Spanish.

Impact of the UICC Fellowships programme

In July 2020, a survey was conducted to assess the longer-term impact of the fellowship programme, with 104 respondents from the 160 Fellows surveyed. Those eligible to complete the survey were Fellows who had returned home from their fellowship visits more than one year ago: 

• 98% of the 104 respondents considered that the fellowship visit had contributed positively to their professional growth
• 87% were still in regular contact with their host supervisors a year after the fellowship visit 
• 82% estimated that the fellowship had led to an improvement in the quality of their organisation's cancer care services and activities
• 84% of Fellows considered that the skills and knowledge they had gained on the fellowship visit had made a positive impact on cancer patients in their organisations

The UICC Fellowships programme has supported the exchange of knowledge and skills in cancer control for more than 50 years, giving over 4,000 cancer professionals and health workers worldwide the chance to visit world-renowned institutions, learn from experts in their field and build their networks for more effective cancer control.