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
9:45
What are phylogenetic trees and what can you learn from them.
Samuel Hong
9:45
to
10:30
From surveillance to containing an epidemic: a wicked problem
Marie Stockman
10:30
to
11:00
Coffee break.
11:00
to
12:30
Introductory session on Genomic Surveillance / WHO guidelines
TBA
12:30
to
14:00
Lunch.
14:00
to
16:00
Group work session 1: Country case studies (background reading)
Team
16:00
to
16:30
Coffee break
16:30
to
17:00
Group work session 2: Country case studies (background reading)
Team
17:00
to
17:30
Recap: Lessons
Team
Tuesday 22 AUGUST
8:30
to
10:30
Group presentations
Team
10:30
to
11:00
Coffee break.
11:00
to
12:30
Interactive case studies discussion
Team
12:30
to
13:30
Lunch.
13:30
to
14:30
Wicked problems and transdisciplinarity: Theory
A-M. Vandamme
14:30
to
15:30
Problem framing and Theory of Change
Sam Hong
15:30
to
16:00
Coffee break.
16:00
to
18:00
Safe Space, Problem framing: Case practice
A.-M. Vandamme, Sam Hong, Jan-Peter Sandler, TinhTam Nguyen
Wednesday 23 AUGUST
8:00
to
8:30
Case practice and reflections
Team
8:30
to
9:30
Report on reflections and results of the problem framing exercises
Team
9:30
to
10:30
Systems thinking and systems mapping: Theory
Sam Hong
10:30
to
11:00
Coffee break.
11:00
to
12:30
Systems mapping: Case practice
A.-M. Vandamme, Sam Hong, Jan-Peter Sandler, TinhTam Nguyen
12:30
to
13:30
Lunch.
13:30
to
14:30
Systems mapping: Case practice (continued)
A.-M. Vandamme, Sam Hong, Jan-Peter Sandler, TinhTam Nguyen
14:30
to
15:30
Leverage points for systems change: Theory
A-M. Vandamme
15:30
to
16:00
Leverage points for systems change: Case practice
A.-M. Vandamme, Sam Hong, Jan-Peter Sandler, TinhTam Nguyen
16:00
to
16:30
Coffee break.
16:30
to
17:00
Case practice and reflections
Team
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
9:00
Report on reflections and results of the systems knowledge exercises
Team
9:00
to
10:30
Revisiting Theory of Change: Case practice
A.-M. Vandamme, Sam Hong, Jan-Peter Sandler, TinhTam Nguyen
10:30
to
11:00
Coffee break.
11:00
to
12:00
Multilevel stakeholder mapping: Theory
Sam Hong
12:00
to
12:30
Actor constellation exercise: Case practice
A.-M. Vandamme, Sam Hong, Jan-Peter Sandler, TinhTam Nguyen
12:30
to
13:30
Lunch.
13:30
to
15:30
Actor constellation exercise: Case practice (continued)
A.-M. Vandamme, Sam Hong, Jan-Peter Sandler, TinhTam Nguyen
15:30
to
16:00
Coffee break.
16:00
to
17:30
Case practice and reflections
Team
18:30
to
20:30
Course teachers dinner
Friday 25 August
8:30
to
9:00
Report on reflections and results of the actor constellation exercises
Team
9:00
to
10:00
Futures: Theory
A-M. Vandamme
10:00
to
10:30
Futures wheel: Case practice
A.-M. Vandamme, Sam Hong, Jan-Peter Sandler, TinhTam Nguyen
10:30
to
11:00
Coffee break.
10:30
to
11:00
Futures wheel: Case practice
A.-M. Vandamme, Sam Hong, Jan-Peter Sandler, TinhTam Nguyen
12:30
to
13:30
Lunch.
13:30
to
14:30
Futures wheel: Case practice (continued)
A.-M. Vandamme, Sam Hong, Jan-Peter Sandler, TinhTam Nguyen
14:30
to
15:30
Revisiting Theory of Change: Making sense of desirable futures in the context of the case study
Team
15:30
to
16:00
Coffee break.
16:00
to
17:30
Pitching the output
Team
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.
