ABSA International Virtual Conference Scholarships

ABSA International is offering up to ten scholarships to members of international affiliates in low-income and lower middle-income countries LMIC to virtually attend the 2026 ABSA International Biosafety and Biosecurity Conference. This initiative aims to enhance professional development, knowledge-sharing, and global biosafety and biosecurity capacity-building by offering opportunities to professionals who might not otherwise have access to this event.

*LMIC is defined by the World Bank as a combination of "low-income economies", "lower middle-income economies", and "upper middle-income economies"

ABSA International Virtual Conference Scholarship Application

Your Information

Name(Required)
Address

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for this scholarship, applicants must:
  • Be a member in good standing of ABSA International and/or of any ABSA International affiliate and reside in a LMIC as defined by the World Bank.
  • Demonstrate job responsibilities that include biosafety or biosecurity (e.g., biosafety officers, biosafety professionals, laboratory managers, research scientists, public health officials, or regulatory professionals).
  • Be actively engaged in their affiliate, regional, or local biosafety/biosecurity community, contributing through volunteer work, committee participation, or outreach.
  • Be willing to share the knowledge gained from the conference with their affiliate or broader community, either through presentations, written reports, or training sessions.
  • Have access to a reliable internet connection sufficient to participate in the virtual conference.
  • Applicants should ideally possess a background in life sciences, microbiology, public health, or a related field.  Degrees or current enrollment in relevant programs (Bachelor's, Master's, or Ph.D.) would be considered.
  • Those with other backgrounds may also be eligible if they can demonstrate interest in biosecurity/biosafety through letters of recommendation, job description, or ABSA/IFBA certification.
*LMIC is defined by the World Bank as a combination of "low-income economies", "lower middle-income economies", and "upper middle-income economies"
Based on this criteria, are you eligible?(Required)

Post-Conference Expectations

Scholarship recipients are required not later than 2 months after the conference to:

  • Submit a short impact report (1–2 pages), outlining key takeaways from the conference and how they plan to apply them.
  • Engage with ABSA International post-event (survey) to share their insights with the broader community.
  • Conduct a knowledge-sharing activity, such as a presentation, training, or summary for their affiliate or institution.

Failure to participate in the virtual conference will result in not being awarded a certificate of attendance or credit points for the event.

Do you agree to the Post-Conference Expectations as outlined above?(Required)

Statement of Interest

Document Uploads

Drop files here or
Accepted file types: pdf, docx, Max. file size: 8 MB, Max. files: 2.
    Drop files here or
    Accepted file types: pdf, docx, Max. file size: 8 MB, Max. files: 2.
      Drop files here or
      Accepted file types: pdf, docx, Max. file size: 8 MB.