NRF and University of Sussex explore partnerships to advance the Presidential PhD Programme

Recently , the National Research Foundation (NRF), in partnership with the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI), hosted a strategic engagement with the University of Sussex (US), Nelson Mandela University (NMU) and the British High Commission in South Africa to explore opportunities to strengthen research and innovation partnerships, with a particular focus on the Presidential PhD Programme (PPhP).

Representing the NRF and DSTI were Dr Angus Paterson, NRF Acting Chief Executive Officer; Dr Gugu Moche, NRF Deputy CEO: Research, Innovation, Impact Support and Advancement; ;Dr Sepo Hachigonta, NRF’s Acting Group Executive, Business Advancement, and Mr Bheki Hadebe, DSTI’s Director: High End Skills. Professor Robert Yates and Professor Robert Banerjee represented the US, while Dr Priscilla Mensah and Ms Loice Alusala stood in for NMU and the Commission, respectively.

Discussions focused on approaches for collaborative international and industry partnerships to support the PPhP by expanding postgraduate opportunities, strengthening supervisory capacity and connecting doctoral researchers to pathways in academia, industry, government, policy, innovation and entrepreneurship.

The partners also discussed developing a cohort-based approach to track the longer-term outcomes and impact of researchers supported through the programme. This included understanding how research translates into societal change, commercialisation, industry investment and new ventures.

A key priority was ensuring that partnerships are equitable, substantive and mutually beneficial, including meaningful engagement with historically disadvantaged institutions (HDIs).

Beyond the PPhP, the meeting identified potential collaboration around lifelong education and future skills, digital capabilities, environmental sustainability, technical skills and international research networks. Sussex also highlighted opportunities through the Aurora European Universities Alliance and Horizon Europe to connect South African institutions with European research partners.

The engagement further considered opportunities to raise the international profile of South African science and innovation, including through global science communication platforms.

The meeting, held as part of the NRF’s ongoing efforts to build strategic international partnerships, concluded with a mutual agreement to translate the identified areas of collaboration into a roadmap, with the PPhP providing an important platform for advancing shared priorities.