Version française

As part of its collaboration with the African BioImaging Consortium ant Africa Microscopy Initiative, the Africa Hub of France-BioImaging is organizing its first training school, “Bioimaging for the Study of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Sustainability in Africa,” at UCAD (Dakar, Senegal), from November 16 to 27, 2026.

This project has been selected by the Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF) under the INTENSCIF program.

Objectives

The BEAMS school aims to:

  • Strengthen scientific research collaborations between French-speaking African countries and France;
  • Develop technological capacity across the African continent in the field of life science imaging;
  • Increase the participation of French-speaking bioimaging specialists in pan-African and international networks.

Program

The training program is structured around four main teaching formats:

  1. Lectures focused on biodiversity and ecosystem sustainability in Africa – [For more information, see the registration section];
  2. Theoretical courses covering the principles and technological and methodological aspects of advanced biological imaging, in connection with the school’s theme – [For more information, see the registration section];
  3. Practical workshops (sample preparation, on-site acquisition modalities, processing, analysis, data management, etc.) – [REGISTRATION CLOSED];
  4. Round-table discussions dedicated to the management of technological platforms, open access policies, opportunities overview, and perspectives for future collaborations and project funding.

The detailed program is available below:

BEAMS School Program_VEDownload

Target audience

Courses will be delivered in French; therefore, proficiency in French is required.

The school is open to Master’s and PhD students, postdoctoral researchers, and faculty members working in areas related to the theme. Access is not limited to Senegalese particpants. Financial support in the form of travel grants may be available after selection.

Registration and grant application

Registration to the school is mandatory.

Lectures and theoretical classes will be held both in person and online. You may attend these sessions without participating in the practical classes. You can pre-register for the online sessions via the link below. The connection link for the online session will be sent to you at a later date.

Online Sessions – Pre-registration

[REGISTRATION CLOSED] Participation in the workshops is limited to 25 participants. A selection process will be carried out among applicants.

[REGISTRATION CLOSED] To facilitate participation from multiple African countries, travel grants will be awarded following evaluation by a dedicated selection committee. Please note that grants will be awarded exclusively to students who take part in all four teaching formats, practical sessions included.

[REGISTRATION CLOSED] Download the registration form and the grant application form. These documents must be completed and submitted below. If you are not applying for a grant, please complete and submit only the registration form.

Please note: Both registration and grant application forms must be submitted before April 30, 2026.

Download the registration form
Download the grant application form

Please upload your registration form here

This form is currently closed for submissions.

Please upload your grant application here

This form is currently closed for submissions.

Institutional partners