This document charts an investment path for achieving South Africa’s science and socio-economic ambitions. This NRF proposal centres on an increase in the country’s current investments in human capital development at the high-end skills levels, making it possible to generate 1% of global R&D output (based on 2011 figures), to produce some 6 000 PhDs per annum and to make the adjustments to the graduate pipeline that will be needed to achieve these goals.

The NRF Awards were held on 13 September 2012 at the Lagoon Hotel in Cape Town. In addition to 26 awards going to A and P-rated researchers, Professor Tim Noakes received the NRF Lifetime Achievement Award; Professor Kelly Chibale received the Champion of Research Capacity Development at South African Higher Education Institutions Award; and Professor Anusuya Chinsamy-Turan received the Transformation of the Science Cohort Award.