This scholarship project supports partner higher education institutions in Rwanda and Senegal in developing graduate-level biomedical engineering training that prepares African engineers for leadership roles in medical device innovation and entrepreneurship. The project addresses two interconnected challenges in sub-Saharan Africa: limited access to healthcare due in part to reliance on imported and donated medical equipment, and a shortage of advanced biomedical engineering training opportunities beyond the bachelor’s level. By strengthening local capacity to design, develop and commercialize medical technologies, the project aims to reduce dependence on imported equipment and support the growth of a sustainable medical device sector in Africa.
The project builds on Western University’s Frugal Biomedical Innovations program and its NSERC CREATE initiative, Engineering Health Equity. BCDI 2030 Scholars collaborate with Canadian trainees to design, implement and test affordable biomedical technologies tailored to low-resource healthcare settings. Through research mentorship, specialized training and participation in communities of practice, Scholars develop skills in frugal innovation, entrepreneurship, commercialization, global health and equity, diversity and inclusion. These experiences strengthen their technical, leadership and professional capacities while fostering intercultural collaboration and knowledge exchange between African and Canadian participants.
