The Foundation for International Education in Neurological Surgery (FIENS) is pleased to announce the recipients of the Spring 2026 Fellowship Award Cycle. These awardees represent the latest cohort selected through the FIENS Bassett Fellowship, Kassam Family Fellowship, Mukhtar A. Sheikh Hospital Fellowship, and FIENS Traveling Fellowship programs. Through the generosity of our donors, partners, and named fellowship sponsors, FIENS continues to invest in the education, training, and professional development of neurosurgeons from low- and middle-income countries, strengthening neurosurgical capacity where it is needed most.
These fellowships provide talented neurosurgeons and neurosurgical trainees with the opportunity to gain advanced clinical exposure, observe innovative surgical techniques, participate in academic and research activities, and build lasting professional relationships with leading neurosurgical centers around the world. Upon completion of their fellowships, each awardee will return home equipped with new knowledge, skills, and perspectives that will benefit their patients, institutions, and healthcare systems for years to come.
FIENS congratulates the following fellowship recipients and looks forward to supporting their continued contributions to global neurosurgery.
The FIENS Bassett Fellowship provides neurosurgeons and senior neurosurgical trainees from low- and middle-income countries with the opportunity to undertake advanced international observerships and educational experiences at leading neurosurgical centers. The fellowship supports the development of future neurosurgical leaders who will return home and strengthen patient care, education, and surgical capacity within their regions.
Dr. Bizuayehu Asefa
Ethiopia → Keio University School of Medicine, Japan
FIENS is pleased to announce the selection of Dr. Bizuayehu Asefa of Ethiopia as a recipient of the FIENS Bassett Fellowship. Dr. Asefa will undertake a fellowship at Keio University School of Medicine in Tokyo, Japan, under the mentorship of Professor Masahiro Toda, a renowned leader in skull base neurosurgery.
During his fellowship, Dr. Asefa will receive advanced training in microsurgical dissection, endoscopic skull base surgery, minimally invasive keyhole approaches, neurovascular surgery, and comprehensive perioperative management. He will also participate in academic conferences, quality improvement initiatives, and educational activities designed to strengthen neurosurgical systems of care.
Upon returning to Ethiopia, Dr. Asefa plans to apply the knowledge and skills gained through this fellowship to enhance neurosurgical services, expand educational opportunities for trainees, and contribute to the development of sustainable, high-quality neurosurgical care throughout the country.
Dr. Beda Alex Mubatsi Kundu
Kenya → Dana-Dwek Children’s Hospital, Israel
FIENS is pleased to announce the selection of Dr. Beda Alex Mubatsi Kundu as a recipient of the FIENS Bassett Fellowship. Dr. Kundu is a final-year neurosurgery resident at the University of Nairobi and Kenyatta National Hospital. Through this fellowship, he will undertake a pediatric neurosurgery observership at the Dana-Dwek Children’s Hospital in Tel Aviv, Israel, under the mentorship of Professor Shlomi Constantini.
The fellowship will provide exposure to a broad spectrum of pediatric neurosurgical conditions, including congenital anomalies, hydrocephalus, pediatric brain tumors, craniovertebral junction disorders, and minimally invasive surgical techniques. Dr. Kundu will gain experience in multidisciplinary pediatric care models, perioperative decision-making, and long-term follow-up strategies that are essential to achieving improved outcomes for children with neurosurgical disorders.
Following completion of his training, Dr. Kundu plans to contribute to the development and expansion of pediatric neurosurgical services within Kenya’s healthcare system and throughout Sub-Saharan Africa.
Dr. Ahmed Motawei
Egypt → University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, United States
FIENS is pleased to announce the selection of Dr. Ahmed Motawei of Egypt as a recipient of the FIENS Bassett Fellowship. Dr. Motawei will complete advanced neurosurgical training at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health under the mentorship of Dr. Mustafa Baskaya.
Throughout the fellowship, Dr. Motawei will focus on skull base surgery, microneurosurgical anatomy, and research training. Having already participated in more than 250 brain and spine procedures and established a strong academic record, he will further develop advanced technical and research skills through participation in Dr. Baskaya’s renowned microsurgical laboratory and academic program.
Upon returning to Egypt, Dr. Motawei intends to strengthen local neurosurgical services, expand skull base surgical capabilities, mentor future neurosurgeons, and foster international collaborations that support sustainable neurosurgical development.
The Kassam Family Fellowship supports promising neurosurgeons from Pakistan seeking advanced international training opportunities. The fellowship promotes professional development, subspecialty education, and the advancement of neurosurgical care within Pakistan and beyond.
Dr. Tehniat Khaliq
Pakistan → University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, United States
FIENS is pleased to announce the selection of Dr. Tehniat Khaliq of Pakistan as the recipient of the FIENS Kassam Family Fellowship. Dr. Khaliq recently completed five years of neurosurgical residency training at Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre in Karachi and will undertake a three-month Skull Base Surgery observership at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health under the mentorship of Dr. Mustafa Baskaya.
During her fellowship, Dr. Khaliq will gain focused exposure to advanced open and endoscopic skull base surgical techniques, multidisciplinary skull base care, and the management of complex cranial pathologies. Her interest in skull base surgery developed through caring for patients with challenging conditions such as vestibular schwannomas and clival chordomas, where access to advanced skull base expertise remains limited in many low-resource settings.
Upon returning to Pakistan, Dr. Khaliq plans to apply and share the knowledge gained through this fellowship to strengthen skull base surgery training and improve care for patients with complex neurosurgical disorders.
The Mukhtar A. Sheikh Hospital Fellowship provides advanced educational opportunities for neurosurgeons from Pakistan, helping to strengthen specialist training, promote knowledge exchange, and improve access to high-quality neurosurgical care throughout the region.
Dr. Nadia Banaras
Pakistan → Yavapai Regional Medical Group, United States
FIENS is pleased to announce the selection of Dr. Nadia Banaras of Pakistan as the recipient of the Mukhtar A. Sheikh Hospital Fellowship. Dr. Banaras is the first and only female neurosurgeon from Balochistan and will undertake advanced neurosurgical training under the mentorship of Dr. Sam Safavi-Abbasi.
During her fellowship, Dr. Banaras will gain exposure to advanced neurosurgical techniques, including endoscopic skull base surgery, minimally invasive spine surgery, and functional neurosurgery. She is particularly motivated by the need to improve access to modern neurosurgical care in underserved regions and to bring innovative approaches back to communities where specialized services remain limited.
Upon returning home, she plans to improve patient care, expand local neurosurgical capacity, mentor future trainees, and help create greater opportunities for women in surgery throughout Pakistan.
The FIENS Traveling Fellowship supports neurosurgeons and senior trainees seeking international educational experiences that will expand their clinical knowledge, strengthen leadership capacity, and foster sustainable improvements in neurosurgical care within underserved communities around the world.
Dr. Terngu Azaatse
Nigeria → Barrow Neurological Institute, United States
FIENS is pleased to announce the selection of Dr. Terngu Azaatse of Nigeria as the recipient of the FIENS Traveling Fellowship. Dr. Azaatse will undertake a three-month observership at the Barrow Neurological Institute under the mentorship of Dr. Michael T. Lawton.
During his observership, Dr. Azaatse will gain exposure to advanced neurosurgical techniques, multidisciplinary patient management, and contemporary approaches to the treatment of complex cranial and spinal disorders. The experience will provide valuable insight into surgical planning, clinical decision-making, and academic neurosurgery.
Dr. Azaatse’s long-term goal is to return to Makurdi, Benue State, where there is currently no resident neurosurgeon serving the region. Through the knowledge and experience gained during the fellowship, he aims to improve patient care, support neurosurgical training, and expand access to life-saving neurosurgical services for underserved communities throughout Benue State and beyond.
