In September 2026, the International Society for Respiratory Viruses (ISRV), in partnership with the African Network for Influenza Surveillance and Epidemiology (ANISE), will deliver a dedicated Mini-School focused on respiratory viruses
The Mini-School will be delivered as a satellite event the day before the ANISE conference, providing participants with a strong foundation to fully engage with the wider scientific program. The Mini-School will be held on 23 September 2026 in Senegal, ahead of the 8th ANISE Meeting (24–25 September), one of Africa’s leading scientific gatherings in the field of respiratory viruses.
Mini-Schools are a core part of ISRV’s approach to supporting early-career researchers (ECRs). Designed as intensive, accessible learning experiences – often aligned with major scientific meetings – they provide participants with targeted knowledge, practical skills, and valuable networking opportunities. Crucially, they help bridge the gap between foundational training and active participation in the global scientific community.
Hosting a Mini-School in Africa is both timely and essential. The continent is home to a rapidly growing community of researchers, clinicians, and public health professionals working at the forefront of infectious disease surveillance and response. At the same time, many face structural barriers to accessing international training opportunities, including funding constraints, visa challenges, and limited access to global networks.
By delivering a Mini-School within the region, ISRV and ANISE aim to remove many of these barriers – bringing high-quality, internationally connected education directly to those who can benefit most. This approach not only supports individual career development but also contributes to strengthening local and regional systems for respiratory virus research, surveillance, and response.
ANISE has been a key partner in making this vision a reality. Founded in 2009, the network now brings together more than 260 members across over 30 countries, including public health specialists, clinicians, laboratorians, epidemiologists, researchers, and policymakers working collaboratively to improve the prevention, detection, and control of influenza and other respiratory viruses across Africa. Through its activities in surveillance, research collaboration, training, and scientific information exchange, ANISE plays a critical role in strengthening capacity in respiratory disease research and surveillance, while also advancing pandemic preparedness across the continent.
The Mini-School program will offer a structured, full-day learning experience that combines scientific depth with practical insight. Participants will begin by exploring the global impact of respiratory viruses and the role of influenza within a One Health framework, grounding discussions in the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health.
Building on this foundation, sessions will examine key respiratory pathogens beyond influenza, including SARS-CoV-2 – reflecting on its unexpected challenges and ongoing unknowns – and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), highlighting both its longstanding burden and emerging solutions. These sessions are designed to provide participants with a broad, comparative understanding of major respiratory viruses and their global and regional significance.
In the afternoon, the focus shifts towards prevention and control, with sessions covering immunity to respiratory viruses, the role of antivirals and antiviral resistance, and the evolving landscape of vaccines. Participants will explore vaccine effectiveness and study designs, alongside forward-looking discussions on next-generation and “universal” vaccines, equipping them with insight into where the field is heading.
Importantly, the program also includes a dedicated session focused on translating scientific ideas into real-world impact – supporting ECRs to think about how their research can progress from concept to implementation. With a target cohort of around 50 early-career scientists, including doctoral researchers, postdoctoral fellows, and emerging principal investigators, the Mini-School is designed to foster meaningful interaction with expert faculty and peers.
The timing of the Mini-School, immediately ahead of the ANISE meeting – whose 2026 theme celebrates 20 years of respiratory virus surveillance in Africa – ensures participants are well prepared to engage with the latest research, discussions, and collaborations taking place during the main conference. It also provides extended opportunities for networking with senior scientists who will contribute to both the Mini-School and the conference, supporting ANISE’s mission to nurture the next generation of respiratory virus experts in Africa. This combination of structured learning and extended engagement is a hallmark of ISRV Mini-Schools, ensuring participants not only gain knowledge but also build lasting professional networks.
The ANISE Mini-School is not intended as a standalone training opportunity. It forms part of ISRV’s broader commitment to developing a sustainable, globally accessible education programme. Insights from this initiative will inform future Schools and Mini-Schools, as well as the development of online learning through ISRV’s emerging digital education platform.
By working in partnership with Societies such as ANISE, ISRV is taking a collaborative and regionally responsive approach to education – one that recognises the importance of local leadership, context-specific knowledge, and equitable access to opportunities.
As plans for the Mini-School continue to develop, ISRV looks forward to welcoming a diverse cohort of participants and to contributing, alongside ANISE, to the continued strengthening of respiratory virus expertise across Africa.
Further details, including application information, will be shared in the coming days.
Find out more
