May 19, 2025 | Erin Bluvas, bluvase@sc.edu
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.