Welcome to VEME - Stellenbosch Museum, 37 Ryneveld St.
Tulio de Oliveira
17:00
to
19:00
VEME Cocktail Event
Monday 21 AUGUST
8:00
to
8:30
Registration.
8:30
to
9:00
Welcome and practical instructions.
Tulio de Oliveira
9:00
to
10:30
Statistical inference in phylogenetics and phylodynamics.
P. Lemey
10:30
to
11:00
Coffee break.
11:00
to
12:30
Advanced evolutionary models and maximum likelihood methods: theory.
H. Schmidt
12:30
to
14:00
Lunch.
14:00
to
16:00
Advanced evolutionary models and maximum likelihood methods: practice.
H. Schmidt - N. Trovao
16:00
to
17:00
Coffee break + poster session.
Tuesday 22 AUGUST
8:30
to
9:30
Bayesian phylogenetic inference: theory.
M. Suchard
9:30
to
10:30
Introduction to BEAST(/BEAGLE) and time-measured trees: theory.
V. Hill
10:30
to
11:00
Coffee break.
11:00
to
12:30
BEAST: practice (estimating rates).
V. Hill - P. Lemey
12:30
to
13:30
Lunch.
13:30
to
15:30
Coalescent theory and phylodynamic inference: theory.
M. Suchard
15:30
to
16:00
Coffee break.
16:00
to
16:50
Free computer time
V. Hill - P. Lemey - M. Suchard
Wednesday 23 AUGUST
8:30
to
10:30
Coalescent theory and phylodynamic inference: Practice.
M. Suchard - P. Lemey - V. Hill
10:30
to
11:00
Coffee break.
11:00
to
12:30
Bayesian model testing: theory.
G. Cybis
12:30
to
13:30
Lunch.
13:30
to
14:30
Bayesian model testing: practice.
G. Cybis - M. Suchard - P. Lemey
14:30
to
16:00
Free computer time.
M. Suchard - P. Lemey - G. Cybis - V. Hill
16:00
to
17:00
Coffee break + poster session.
Keynotes: Jan Mouton Learning Centre, Stellenbosch University, De Beer Rd.
17:30
to
18:45
Keynote 1:
Edward Holmes
18:45
to
20:00
Keynote 2:
Marion Koopmans
Thursday 24 August
8:30
to
10:30
Phylogeography: theory
P. Lemey
10:30
to
11:00
Coffee break.
11:00
to
12:30
Phylogeography: practice.
P. Lemey
12:30
to
13:30
Lunch.
13:30
to
15:30
Free computer time.
M. Suchard - P. Lemey - G. Cybis - V. Hill
15:30
to
16:00
Coffee break.
16:00
to
17:30
Free computer time.
M. Suchard - P. Lemey - G. Cybis - V. Hill
18:30
to
20:30
Course teachers dinner
Important VEME Update
2025 Workshop Cancelled
2026–2027 Secured
Dear VEME applicants,
We regret to inform you that, due to a global decline in international funding, we will need to cancel VEME2025. Despite our best efforts to secure financial support for this exceptional workshop, we were unable to obtain the necessary commitments to host the event at the Institut Pasteur de Dakar (IPD) this year.
While this is disappointing news, we are pleased to share that funding has been secured for VEME2026—and most likely for 2027 as well. The 2026 edition is expected to take place in Stellenbosch, South Africa, and the 2027 workshop in Dakar, Senegal. Both events will be supported through the CERI and IPD African Stars Fellowship Program, in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation. Unfortunately, these funds could not be applied to the 2025 event, as it was reliant on a different funding source.
We thank you for your patience and regret we cannot give you better news. We encourage you to apply again for next year’s VEME. Now more than ever, it is essential that our VEME training continues to prepare the next generation of scientists to respond to global health challenges.
