Human and Institutional Capacity Development Directorate

The Human and Institutional Capacity Development (HICD) Directorate in the National Research Foundation aims to redress inequities in research capacities at the institutional level; develop human capital for strengthening the academic sector and advance the objectives of the national system of innovation; and generate new knowledge and innovative technological capabilities by creating an environment with quality infrastructure, including state-of-the-art research equipment and research platforms.

The Directorate comprises the following six programmes, which are implemented in collaboration and partnership with government departments, higher education institutions, research institutions, industry and other national and international players.

 

  • The South African PhD Project aims to attract new doctoral candidates and provide them and current doctoral students with information and peer and mentor support mechanisms.

  • The Human Capacity Programme which offers a range of bursaries and scholarships for student and postdoctoral training; value-adding initiatives that aim to retain researchers within the national system of innovation; the DST-NRF Internship Programme for unemployed SET graduates; and strategic projects that aim to increase human resources in scarce skills areas.

  • The Institutional Capacity Programme increasingly supports researcher development geared towards previously disadvantaged groups such as black, female and disabled researchers. The Thuthuka and Research Niche Area Programmes have supported the training and development of 1 375 students, including 779 Master's-level students, 330 doctoral candidates and 45 postdoctoral researchers through grantholder-linked bursaries and fellowships.

  • The South African Research Chairs Initiative (SARChI) is a human intervention by the government of South Africa, led by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) and the National Research Foundation (NRF). It is designed to significantly expand the scientific research base of the country in a way that is relevant to national development and in support of making South Africa an internationally competitive global knowledge economy.

  • The funding programmes for rated and unrated researchers provide a disciplinary based application alternative to rated and unrated researchers. Unrated researchers can use this option to compete for three years of research support to assist them to obtain a rating. Rated researchers can compete within a limited budget to obtain funds for fundamental research.

  • The Strategic Platforms Programme promotes research and human capital development by funding research equipment and infrastructure platforms. A total of R37m was invested in Strategic Research Infrastructure; of this, R20m was invested in the refurbishment of the National Research Facilities and R17m in supporting the DST Science Missions.

 

Highlights

  • The South African PhD Project hosted the first South African PhD Project Conference and Fair in May 2008. A total of 295 current and potential PhD students attended, of whom half were female and 80% black. The Fair attracted a total of 34 exhibitors. Four international partnerships have been formed for PhD training of South African students in the international arena, either on a full-time or sandwich programme.

  • Seven Nanotechnology Flagship Projects are being supported for a three-year period commencing in 2009 as an implementation instrument of South Africa’s National Nanotechnology Strategy. In February 2009, a panel of international and local experts in nanotechnology convened for the NRF peer-review process to identify a manufacturer for the commissioning of a High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscope (HRTEM) that would best be able to address the research and training needs of the South African nanoscience community.

  • Strategic initiatives of HICD in 2008/9 included: F’SATIE (a Franco-South African Partnership implemented at Tshwane and Cape Peninsula Universities of Technology); a Biomathematics Honours Programme established at the University of Stellenbosch; the African Institute of Mathematical Sciences (AIMS) Research centre established in Cape Town; the Black Researchers/Academics Development programme (BRAD) implemented at seven participating universities across South Africa; the Master's in Material Sciences and Master's in Nuclear Sciences programme implemented by iThemba LABS and coordinated by the University of the Western Cape.

  • In January 2009, the first annual research day was hosted for interns who had completed a year of internship at the various host institutions. A total of 16 DST-NRF interns, comprising almost 20% of the 2008/09 cohort, are now furthering their studies through studentships and full-time study programmes.

  • The first annual National Postdoctoral Research Forum was also hosted, attended by NRF-funded postdoctoral fellows and a number of research directors from the academic sector.

Contact details HICD: Executive Director: Dr Romilla Maharaj This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it