Invitation to Cover the 2026 National Research Foundation (NRF) Awards

The2026 National Research Foundation (NRF) Awards Ceremonywill take place onThursday, 03 September 2026, at theBoardwalk Hotel and Casino in Gqeberha, Eastern Cape, under the theme “Building an Inclusive, Impactful and Transformed Research Future.” Members of the media are invited to cover this prestigious awards ceremony, held annually to celebrate South Africa’s research excellence.

The programme will feature a welcome address by NRF Board Chairperson Professor Ari Sitas; a keynote address by the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Professor Blade Nzimande; remarks by NRF Acting CEO Dr Angus Paterson; and closing remarks by the Deputy Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr Nomalungelo Gina.

The NRF Awards recognise outstanding achievements by individual researchers and teams whose excellence has significantly advanced science for the benefit of society. Their internationally competitive work is assessed on, among other criteria, its contribution to the field of study, with a particular focus on quality and impact. One of the objectives of the awards is to foster a sustained culture of advancing South Africa’s scientific knowledge and technological innovation by recognising those who use research to improve humanity.

Event details:

Venue: Boardwalk Hotel and Casino, Gqeberha, Eastern Cape
Address: Beach Road and 2nd Avenue, Summerstrand, Gqeberha (formerly Port Elizabeth)
Date: 03 September 2026
Time: 17:00 (Registrations start earlier).

Journalists who wish to cover the awards ceremony in person should contact NRF Media Relations Officer, Bongani Nkosi, on b.nkosi@nrf.ac.za or +27 61 477 3064, for accreditation and/or any requests. The awards ceremony will also be livestreamed on the NRF YouTube account.

The awards will be presented to researchers who have obtained new NRF A-ratings in the year of the awards, and to winners in the following categories aligned with Transformation, Innovation, and Excellence for Impact (TIES4I):

• Lifetime Achievement Award

This accolade is awarded to individuals considered to have made extraordinary contributions, of international standard and impact, to the development of science in and for South Africa over an extended period of time, and for the manner in which their work has touched and shaped the lives and views of many South Africans.

• Public Engagement with Research Award

This award recognises outstanding contributions to public engagement with science and encourages academics to make their work, and science and technology in general, more accessible to the public.

• Hamilton Naki Award

The Hamilton Naki Award honours individuals for advancing their careers in science and achieving world-class research performance despite considerable challenges. The award is named after Hamilton Naki, a self-taught surgeon who trained generations of medical students in surgical techniques.

• Research Excellence Award for Next Generation Researchers

This award recognises outstanding academic performance by final-year Doctoral students.

• Research Excellence Award for Early Career/Emerging Researchers

This award recognises outstanding research performance by current early career/emerging researchers in any discipline, who are NRF grant holders.

• Champion of Research Capacity Development and Transformation Award
• This category recognises individuals within the research community who contribute to the transformation, and thus diversity, of South Africa’s science cohort through the research students they supervise.
• Science Team Award

In recognition of the contributions, creativity and achievements of a science team towards extending the boundaries of scientific research in Africa, producing science outcomes which have positively impacted society and for the role they played in raising South Africa’s international stature as a world-class research destination.

• Societal Impact Award

In recognition of research with impact that has resulted in improvement in the quality of people’s lives.

The ceremony will bring together senior government representatives, leaders from the higher education and science sectors, researchers, university executives, science councils, industry partners, and other stakeholders from the National System of Innovation.