Organiser / Host

Southern African Biomanufacturing Training Hub (SA-BTH)
Hosted by: Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)
Programme: Strengthening Biomanufacturing Capabilities in Southern Africa
Supported by: KfW Development Bank.

Overview 

The Southern African Biomanufacturing Training Hub is offering Advanced Downstream Processing for Biologics and Vaccine Manufacturing (A-BTH02), a specialised training programme designed to strengthen the skills and practical capabilities required for the downstream processing of vaccines, biologics, recombinant proteins and other biopharmaceutical products.

The broader training initiative aims to strengthen the biomanufacturing sector across Africa by developing a skilled and competent workforce and supporting local manufacturing capabilities in areas including biologics, vaccines, recombinant proteins and therapeutics.

This course focuses specifically on the downstream processing stage of biomanufacturing, equipping participants with both theoretical knowledge and practical competencies needed to operate, troubleshoot and optimise downstream bioprocesses in research and industrial environments.

Course Focus

Participants will receive training in key downstream processing technologies and activities, including:

• Advanced downstream bioprocessing principles and operations.
• Product purification and recovery.
• Normal Flow Filtration and Tangential Flow Filtration (TFF).
• Sterile filtration and virus filtration.
• Filter integrity testing.
• Process optimisation, troubleshooting and scale-up.
• Single-use technologies and closed processing systems.
• Solid-liquid separation and centrifugation.
• Chromatographic purification.
• Formulation, fill-and-finish and packaging.
• Biopharmaceutical quality control and process safety.
• Raw material qualification and impurity profiling.
• Regulatory requirements for biologics and biopharmaceutical manufacturing.
• Introduction to Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API) synthesis and modern continuous manufacturing technologies.
• Practical operation of specialised downstream processing equipment. 

Why This Training Is Relevant

The programme addresses a critical skills area within the biomanufacturing value chain: the ability to purify, process, formulate and prepare biologics and vaccines for manufacturing and downstream use.

The training is intended to build professionals who can not only understand downstream processes, but also operate equipment, troubleshoot processes and optimise bioprocesses in research and industrial environments.

This makes the opportunity particularly relevant to organisations developing or expanding biomanufacturing facilities and production capacity, as well as professionals who need to upgrade their technical skills in downstream processing.

Who Should Attend?

Preference will be given to:

• Current staff in the biomanufacturing sector requiring skills expansion or upgrading.
• New or developing staff in the biomanufacturing sector.
• Identified staff members or new recruits for biomanufacturing facilities.
• Staff from biomanufacturing facilities currently under construction that will require a skilled workforce. 

Eligibility

Applications are welcome from qualified individuals across all African Union Member States.

Applicants must:

• Hold a Master’s degree or PhD in a related field.
• Be relevant to the biomanufacturing sector and/or the workforce development needs described in the course announcement.
• Be able to participate in both the online and in-person components of the programme. 

Young African women are especially encouraged to apply.

Geographic Eligibility

The opportunity is open to qualified candidates from all African Union Member States.

Host country: South Africa
Training venue: CSIR Pretoria Campus for the in-person component.

Africa – African Union Member States

Course Delivery

The course uses an advanced knowledge-transfer approach combining:

• Online classroom-based lectures
• Case studies
• Access to a demonstration model
• In-person hands-on training and laboratory demonstrations. 

A reliable internet connection is required for the online component, with a recommended download and upload speed of 5–10 Mbps.

Course Dates and Venue

Online Component

5–9 October 2026

Delivered online via Microsoft Teams.

In-Person Component

12–16 October 2026

Delivered at the CSIR Pretoria Campus, South Africa.

The programme therefore combines a five-day online component with a five-day in-person component.

Funding and Financial Support

A maximum of 20 candidates will be selected.

South African Candidates

For South African candidates, the funding package includes:

• Full course fees
• Travel expenses, including flights for 10 participants residing outside Gauteng
• Accommodation for the in-person training
• One return ground transfer between the airport and accommodation
• Daily ground transport between the accommodation and the CSIR course venue. 

Participants from Other African Countries

Five scholarships will be awarded to participants from across Africa, based on the motivation submitted as part of the application.

Importantly, subsistence and travel allowances will not be covered for these scholarship recipients.

This distinction should be made clear to applicants: being eligible to apply from another African country does not mean that all travel and subsistence expenses will be funded.

Application Process

Applicants must complete the application form provided for the programme.

Applicants should ensure that they meet the academic qualification requirement and clearly demonstrate their relevance to biomanufacturing, particularly where their current or planned role relates to:

• Biomanufacturing operations.
• Workforce development.
• New or developing biomanufacturing facilities.
• Facilities currently under construction. 

Application Deadline

10 September 2026.

Notification of Selected Candidates

16 September 2026.

Limitations / Important Considerations

Applicants should note:

• Maximum of 20 selected candidates. 
• The opportunity is open to qualified individuals across all African Union Member States, but only five scholarships are specifically awarded to participants from across Africa based on their submitted motivation. 
• Applicants must hold a Master’s degree or PhD in a related field. 
• The programme includes both online and in-person components, so participants need to be able to participate in both. 
• The in-person component takes place at the CSIR Pretoria Campus.
• Travel and subsistence support is not universally available to African scholarship recipients; the document specifically states that subsistence and travel allowances are not covered. 
• A reliable internet connection is required for the online component.

Click HERE to apply.