News & Events

The National Research Foundation (NRF) congratulates Dr Thandi Mgwebi, Group Executive for Business Advancement and Global Partnerships, on her appointment as Vice-Chancellor of Walter Sisulu University (WSU). She will take up her new position from 01 January 2026. Dr Mgwebi

The National Research Foundation (NRF), with the support of the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI), the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), and the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), led the Roundtable Discussion on the

Led by South Africa’s Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI) and the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), the National Research Foundation (NRF) participated in the UK-South Africa Science and Innovation Joint Committee (JC) Meeting held in

The National Research Foundation (NRF) and the Property Practitioners Regulatory Authority (PPRA), in collaboration with Nelson Mandela University (NMU) and the Department of Human Settlements (DHS), will host the Property Sector Research Colloquium from 5 to 6 November 2025 in

South Africa’s National Research Foundation (NRF) is co-hosting the annual O.R. Tambo Africa Research Chairs Initiative (ORTARChI) gathering, taking place from 27–31 October 2025 at Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda. The event is set to reflect on the initiative’s impact

The National Research Foundation (NRF), in partnership with the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) and Fondation Botnar, co-hosted the Inaugural u’GOOD Annual Conference 2025 in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, from 06 to 09 October 2025. Themed Global South Takes the

Dr Fulufhelo Nelwamondo, CEO of the National Research Foundation (NRF), delivered a keynote address at the official opening of the HSRC/NRF Engaged Research Conference, which took place from 22 to 24 October 2025 at the Birchwood Hotel & OR Tambo

On Monday, 20 October 2025, the NRF and CIHEAM-Bari, as co-task leaders under the Consortium Europe-Africa on Research and Innovation for Food Systems Transformation (CEA-FIRST) initiative, co-hosted the inaugural Funders’ Working Group Meeting of the International Research Consortium (IRC) on

The National Research Foundation (NRF) of South Africa is pleased to announce the culmination of its funding call under the Belmont Forum Collaborative Research Action (CRA) initiative with 10 transdisciplinary research projects selected for funding, each led by researchers based

You are invited to a one-hour webinar co-hosted by UK Research and Innovation’s Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) and South Africa’s National Research Foundation (NRF). The webinar will introduce AHRC and NRF funding opportunities and explore principles for equitable

Every year during the June and September school holidays, NRF-SAAO hosts its highly sought-after, two-day Job Shadow Programme, designed to expose Grade 10 and 11 learners to a range of careers within and beyond astronomy. The initiative forms part of

From 5–7 October 2025, the National Research Foundation (NRF) of South Africa participated in the 22nd Annual Science and Technology in Society (STS) Forum held at the Kyoto International Conference Center (ICC Kyoto), Japan. The NRF delegation was led by

The Peer Learning for Emerging Researchers’ Knowledge and Advancement (PERKA) II Stakeholders Convening, held in Nairobi, Kenya, from 06-09 October 2025, brought together regional and international partners to co-create a shared vision and actionable strategies for strengthening and sustaining support

The ATLAS Tile-Calorimeter (TileCal)-collaboration gathered for their collaboration meeting at NRF-iThemba LABS from Monday, 29 September until Friday, 3 October 2025. The meeting is hosted at an institution outside of CERN every two years and brings together researchers, engineers, and

The National Research Foundation (NRF) presented its 2024/25 Annual Report to the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Science, Technology and Innovation on 07 October 2025. The Committee convened at the NRF corporate office, where it also received the 2024/25 Annual Report

The National Research Foundation (NRF) has been awarded the Most Empowered Company in Compliance to B-BBEE Adjusted Generic Scorecard for Public Sector and Localisation at the 6th Pan African Supply Chain Awards. Organised by the Pan African Supply Chain Council,

The NRF-SAAO proudly joined the nation in commemoration of Heritage Month by opening its doors to the public for a special Heritage Day celebration. Held at the Observatory’s historic headquarters in Cape Town, the event drew more than 341 guests,

The first Presidential PhD Programme (PPhD) Roadshow officially kicked off on 22 September 2025, at NRF-iThemba Labs in the Western Cape. Hosted by the National Research Foundation (NRF), the Roadshow provided a dynamic platform for universities, researchers, policymakers, and industry

On 25 September 2025, the National Research Foundation (NRF) hosted a high-level Swiss delegation, led by Prof Martina Hirayama, State Secretary for Education, Research and Innovation, to expand the strategic science and technology partnership between South Africa and Switzerland. The

On 25 September 2025, the National Research Foundation, led by its CEO Dr Fulufhelo Nelwamondo, hosted Sir John Edmunds, Chief Scientific Adviser for the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). The purpose of the meeting was to share insights

By the time you finish reading this paragraph, more than 50 people around the world will have died from hunger-related causes. Yet the world already produces enough food to feed everyone. This paradox drives Stellenbosch University researcher Luther Chipembere, who

The National Research Foundation (NRF) of South Africa participated in the 2025 Science Granting Councils Initiative (SGCI) All Partners Forum and STISA-2034 Advocacy Meeting, held from 15 to 19 September 2025 in Accra, Ghana. The high-level forum served as a

The Strategic Science Missions (SSM) Unit, led by Mr Jonathan Diederiks within the Thematic Research, Support and Advancement Department at the National Research Foundation (NRF) – under the leadership of Senior Manager Dr Zolani Dyosi – successfully hosted a national

The 18th Southern African Marine Science Symposium (SAMSS 2025), held from 9 – 12 September 2025 in Cape Town, brought together over 400 delegates from across the region and beyond to explore the theme, “The triple planetary crisis – resilience

The Property Practitioners Regulatory Authority (PPRA), in partnership with the National Research Foundation (NRF) and Nelson Mandela University (NMU), cordially invites you to attend the colloquium, to be hosted at Nelson Mandela University, from the 5th – 6th November 2025.

The National Research Foundation (NRF) is proud to announce that Dr Sepo Hachigonta has been elected Vice Chair of the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) Council for a three-year term, beginning 01 September 2025. Dr Hachigonta is the

The National Institute for Theoretical and Computational Sciences (NITheCS), a Centre of Excellence under the National Research Foundation (NRF), marked a significant milestone with the official opening of its headquarters at Stellenbosch University on Wednesday, 10 September 2025. The launch

A collective effort from all departments within the Research, Innovation, Impact Support and Advancement (RIISA)business unit of the National Research Foundation (NRF) contributed to the success of the 13th annual Research Administrators Workshop (RAW) that was held from 26 to

South Africa’s innovation in agricultural water management has been recognised on the global stage, with the national delegation claiming honours across six award categories at the 4th World Irrigation Forum (WIF4). The South African National Committee on Irrigation and Drainage

Role models are crucial to inspire interest and increase participation in STEM fields, particularly for underrepresented groups such as women and students with disabilities. The need to close the gender gap can’t be emphasised enough. The South African Astronomical Observatory’s

On Sunday, 07 September 2025, the NRF-SAAOopened its doors to the public and media for an exclusive lunar eclipse viewing experience. The event offered astronomy enthusiasts and curious visitors a front-row seat to one of Nature’s most spectacular phenomena—a blood

The National Research Foundation (NRF) invites you to attend the Presidential PhD Programme Roadshow on 22 September 2025, to be held at NRF-iThemba LABS in Cape Town. The event aims to raise national awareness and engagement around the broader vision

From 02 – 05 September 2025, the National Research Foundation held its second Next Generation and Emerging Researchers (NGER) Symposium in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal—the maiden event was held in 2024 in Boksburg, Gauteng. This year’s Symposium saw hundreds of next generation

On 25 August 2025, the National Research Foundation (NRF) of South Africa, led by Group Executive: Business Advancement, Dr Thandi Mgwebi, hosted a high-level delegation from China’s International Science and Technology Cooperation Center (ISTCC), led by Deputy Director-General Mr DENG

The NRF participated in the high-level Japan-Africa University Exchange Meeting, held alongside the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9) in Tokyo, Japan, on 19 August 2025. The event was hosted by the Japan Science and Technology Agency

The Science Granting Councils Initiative in Sub-Saharan Africa (SGCI) opened its latest Peer Learning Visit in Pretoria on Tuesday with a powerful call for funding agencies to transform the way they support research and innovation across the continent. The four-day

Since 2014, the South African National Research Foundation (NRF) has partnered with the Sasol Foundation to increase PhD graduation rates in South Africa; to increase the pool of Black science researchers among previously disadvantaged groups; and to build research capacity

The National Research Foundation (NRF) of South Africa participated in the Second Kenya National Research Festival, held from 18–22 August 2025 at Egerton University in Nakuru, Kenya. Under the theme Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security: Empowering communities through research, science,

Bid Number: NRF ILABS WI53/05/2025-26 Bid Description: SUPPLY AND INSTALLATION OF AN ELECTRONIC QUALITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (EQMS) FOR THE NUCLEAR MEDICINE DEPARTMENT, ITHEMBA LABS, CAPE TOWN. Closing Date & Time: 05 September 2025, 11:00AM Bid Box Address: Tender Box, Main

Even after three decades of democracy, South Africa continues to battle with the underrepresentation of women in academic leadership positions which perpetuates existing disparities and impedes progress towards gender equality within academia. To address this gap and foster a more

The Department of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment (DFFE), in collaboration with the South African Environmental Observation Network (NRF-SAEON) and the South African Weather Service (SAWS), organised a series of climate change scenario consultation workshops from 11-13 August 2025. These

The Institute for Collider Particle Physics (ICPP) headquartered at the University of the Witwatersrand, led by Director Prof. Bruce Mellado, has been named one of the global recipients of the prestigious ODESS 2025 Prize from the Pierre Fabre Foundation in France. This highly selective competition received

We are delighted to launch the 2nd Conference on Equitable Partnerships, hosted by South Africa’s National Research Foundation (NRF), the Royal Society, and the British Academy on 3-5 February 2026 in Pretoria, South Africa. https://www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/international/equitable-partnership-in-international-collaboration/second-conference-on-equitable-partnerships-2026/ Location: CSIR International Convention Centre in Pretoria

The Property Practitioner Regulatory Authority (PPRA), in collaboration with Nelson Mandela University (NMU) and the National Research Foundation (NRF), invites you to submit your abstract for the 2025 Property Sector Research Colloquium, themed A Sustainable and Inclusive Property Market. This

From 06–09 August 2025, the National Research Foundation (NRF) Corporate team participated in the National Science Week (NSW) activities in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal. The event was hosted at the Anton Lembede Mathematics, Science and Technology Academy by the South African Agency

On receiving her award for Lifetime Achievement at the 2025 National Research Foundation (NRF) Awards, Professor Jill Farrant, from the Department of Molecular and Cell Biology at the University of Cape Town, described her accolade as the biggest honour she

Johannesburg, South Africa – In celebration of Women’s Month 2025, the University of the Witwatersrand’s School of Therapeutic Sciences (STHS) proudly launches Trailblazers: Beyond Therapeutics – Celebrating Women in Science at STHS, a commemorative eBooklet profiling the National Research Foundation

On receiving her award for Lifetime Achievement at the 2025 National Research Foundation (NRF) Awards, Professor Jill Farrant, from the Department of Molecular and Cell Biology at the University of Cape Town, described her accolade as the biggest honour she

The 2025 National Research Foundation (NRF) Awards honoured South Africa’s top researchers and scientists at a prestigious ceremony held on 07 August 2025 at the NH Johannesburg Sandton Hotel (formerly Hilton Sandton Hotel) in Gauteng. This year’s event was held