Mufaro Kanyangarara awarded Carnegie African Diaspora Fellowship to develop graduate program in public and global health – Arnold School of Public Health

May 19, 2025 | Erin Bluvas, [email protected]

Epidemiology assistant professor Mufaro Kanyangarara is one of 43 scholars to be awarded a Carnegie African Diaspora Fellowship from the Institute of International Education this year. Funded by the Carnegie Corporation
of New York, this highly competitive program has supported nearly 750 scholars and
projects across Africa since 2013.

For her project, Kanyangarara will collaborate with Phindile Shangase, a senior lecturer
at the University of the Free State in South Africa, to develop a Postgraduate Diploma
in Global Public Health. An expert in infectious diseases and maternal and child health,
Kanyangarara will apply her vast experience conducting research in sub-Saharan Africa
to the project.

Over the past two decades, she has conducted research across sub-Saharan Africa, integrating
epidemiological methods, qualitative research, implementation science, and innovative
technology. Her research has focused on malaria, COVID-19, HIV and other sexually
transmitted infections (STIs), with the goal of improving the health and well-being
of mothers and children in Sub-Saharan Africa. She has led research projects in Botswana,
Ethiopia, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. She has a master’s degree
in biostatistics from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and a Ph.D. in
International Health from Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health.

I’m looking forward to applying my blend of academic and practical experience in global
health settings to this project to ensure the long-term success and impact of the
Postgraduate Diploma in Global Public Health.

“I’m looking forward to applying my blend of academic and practical experience in
global health settings to this project to ensure the long-term success and impact
of the Postgraduate Diploma in Global Public Health,” says Kanyangarara, who joined
the Arnold School’s Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics in 2019. “My goal is to significantly contribute to shaping the next generation of
public health professionals in sub-Saharan Africa.”

Offered at the University of Free State, the new comprehensive postgraduate curriculum
developed through this program will help address the pressing need for specialized
training in global health in this part of the world. Kanyangarara’s expertise in instructional
design and experience in delivering hybrid and online learning, will help guarantee
the accessibility of an innovative and responsive curriculum.

After conducting a needs assessment and consulting with public health experts, faculty,
governmental agencies, and international organizations, Kanyangarara and her team
will create core courses in the areas of global health foundations, research methods,
surveillance, and infectious disease epidemiology. Learning methods will include theoretical
lectures with case-based learning, simulations, student presentations, and practical
applications. Mentorship will be another key component of the program, with Kanyangarara
providing formal mentorship to postgraduate students.

Long term, the Postgraduate Diploma will attract local and international students,
preparing them to address global health challenges, such as health inequities, infectious
diseases, climate change, and chronic conditions. After the initial co-design of the
program, Kanyangarara will remain involved with the university as a research partner,
guest lecturer and mentor.

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