The course offers a comprehensive overview of the scientific and public health principles underlying immunization strategies for pregnant women and infants.

It is designed to equip Master and PhD students with a deep understanding of the current challenges and opportunities in the field, with a focus on global health. The program brings experts from European and African institutions together, fostering a collaborative, multidisciplinary learning environment.

Through a combination of theoretical and practical approaches, students will enhance their critical thinking and research skills, gaining insights into the latest developments in vaccine research, clinical implementation, and public health policy. The course is a blend of virtual sessions and a hands-on physical component in Johannesburg, South Africa, offering participants a unique, real-world perspective on vaccination efforts in regions with high disease burden.

The in-person segment of the program offers an immersive, hands-on experience in maternal and neonatal vaccination, hosted by leading research institutions in Johannesburg, South Africa. Across five intensive days - 20-24 July 2026 - students will translate theory into practice through clinical facility visits, laboratory sessions, and real-time observation of vaccine trials.

They will engage directly with experts and trial staff at Wits-VIDA and Wits-RHI, gaining insight into clinical operations, participant enrolment, sample collection, data management, ethics, regulatory frameworks, and community engagement. Highlights include walking tours of major hospitals and clinics, interactive workshops on data systems and pregnancy registries, and strategic sessions on translating research into public health impact.

This unique opportunity not only deepens scientific understanding but also builds practical skills essential for designing and conducting impactful research in low-resource and global health settings.

The virtual part will take place between 16 February - 25 May 2026 and covers five thematic modules of the program. Each session will involve preparatory reading and identification of a question or key issue by the students, an expert lecture addressing these questions, and an interactive component where students present their group work based on the previous session.

This structure is designed to guide students from actively identifying questions and issues to synthesizing evidence and recognizing knowledge gaps.

• Burden of disease and public health
• Vaccination platforms for pregnant women and young infants
• Immunobiology of maternal and neonatal vaccination
• Clinical trial design and implementation
• Safety and ethics of maternal and infant vaccination

These five modules will be covered during twelve 2-hour online sessions (organized weekly) and require an estimated four hours of homework per session. The student’s time investment for this virtual part therefore totals 24 hours of online sessions and 48 hours of homework.

*no classes on 6, 13 and 27 April.

The topic on “Communicating about maternal and infant vaccination and vaccine confidence” will be addressed during the in-person component of the course in Johannesburg.