News & Events

At a community-supported radio telescope outside Hammanskraal, a four-day National Science Month workshop brought African Indigenous Knowledge, contemporary astronomy and storytelling into the same conversation. The 24-element Transient Array Radio Telescope at Kwalata Game Lodge provides an accessible platform for

South Africa’s future depends on a new generation of young people who are curious, innovative and equipped with the skills to solve tomorrow’s challenges. Sparking an interest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) cannot begin only when learners reach

NRF-iThemba LABS recently renewed its research partnership with the University of Oslo (UiO), reaffirming a collaboration that has continued to grow since it was first established in 2017. At a time when the world is facing increasing geopolitical uncertainty, this

The annual National Astrophysics and Space Science Programme (NASSP)-SAAO Winter School held at the South African Astronomical Observatory recently, from 24 June to 3 July 2026, was the fourth in-person Winter School since the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted activities in 2020.

The Department of Science, technology and Innovation (DSTI) recently joined forces with South Africa Agency for Science and Technology Advancement, a national facility of the National Research Foundation (NRF-SAASTA) to host the Umkhanyakude Career Expo. Held in celebration of National

On 28 May 2026, the National Research Foundation (NRF), in partnership with TK Global Experts, convened a hybrid stakeholder workshop on the draft General Public Procurement Regulations, 2026. The session brought together representatives from public entities, state-owned enterprises, and business

The legacy of former South African President and international icon of peace reconciliation and democracy, Dr. Nelson Rolihlala Mandela, is celebrated globally on 18 July every year. In 2026 this legacy merged in time with the inaugural National Science Month

The National Research Foundation (NRF) is pleased to announce a new multilateral research funding call and invites eligible South African researchers to apply. The call forms part of the Science Granting Councils Initiative (SGCI), a multilateral initiative launched in 2015

On 23 June 2026, marine conservation grant-holders, project partners, students and stakeholders gathered in Cape Town for the Southwest Indian Ocean Marine Protected Areas (SIOMPA) South African Implementing Partner Meeting. The workshop, held under the theme Feedback, Fraternity and Foresight,

During the week of 29 – June to 3 July the SAEON Grasslands Node and the EFTEON Northern Drakensberg landscape tested and deployed a DJI Matrice 400 drone carrying a Hyperspectral Imaging (HSI) System developed for the Biome Mapping project

NRF-iThemba LABS’ Deputy Managing Director for Research, Dr Rudolph Nchodu, participated in the 63rd  Session of the Programme Advisory Committee for Nuclear Physics (PAC YF), hosted by the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research (JINR) in Dubna, Russia, on 18–19 June

The South African Environmental Observation Network (NRF-SAEON) Supply Chain Management (SCM) and Finance teams led an Enterprise and Supplier Development Workshop held at Mabasa Hall in Mbazwana, KwaZulu-Natal, on 23 April 2026. Xolisa Gugushe from NRF-SAEON’s SCM and  Benny Molefe

The National Research Foundation (NRF) in collaboration with black-owned auditing firm Bagaka Group hosted the Chief Audit Executive Engagement Workshop on 11 June 2026. The engagement was held at the NRF Tiyo Soga Auditorium as well as some attendees joining

South Africa’s future scientists, engineers, innovators and technology leaders are not only being developed in laboratories and classrooms—they are also finding their voices on debating stages where complex scientific issues are explored through discussion, evidence and critical thinking. As part

When science and creativity come together, extraordinary things happen. This year, the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI) and the South African Agency for Science and Technology Advancement (NRF-SAASTA) challenged South African TVET and University students to do just

The inaugural National Science Month (NSM) launch, which took place on 4 July 2026 at the Vaal University of Technology (VUT) Gauteng Science and Technology Park, ushered in a new chapter in public science engagement. Hosted by the Department of

The National Research Foundation (NRF) congratulates Board Member Professor Glenda Gray, who this week travelled to London to be formally admitted as a Fellow of the Royal Society, the United Kingdom’s national academy of sciences. Prof Gray was elected to

The National Research Foundation (NRF) congratulates its Board Chairperson, Professor Ari Sitas, for receiving the South African Sociological Association (SASA) Lifetime Award last night. Prof Sitas received the award at the SASA 31st Annual Congress, held at the University of

South Africa’s ability to harness research for sustainable socio-economic development depends heavily on transforming its innovation ecosystem. Speaking at the “Unlocking Innovation and Entrepreneurship in the Presidential PhD Programme” session during the Sustainability Research and Innovation (SRI) Africa Regional Conference

More than 300 researchers, government and civil society experts, funders, entrepreneurs and innovators from across Africa will gather in Cape Town from 24 to 26 June 2026 for the Sustainability Research & Innovation Congress Africa Regional Conference (SRI2026). The conference

As South Africa commemorates its 50th Youth Month, the National Research Foundation (NRF) is shining a spotlight on the remarkable achievements of young researchers who are advance knowledge, address societal challenges, and contribute to a more sustainable and inclusive future.

The National Research Foundation (NRF) is proud to announce that Dr Lara Atkinson, a researcher at the South African Environmental Observation Network (NRF-SAEON), was nominated as a global expert to co-author a subchapter of the Third World Ocean Assessment (WOA

As South Africa intensifies its efforts to strengthen energy security, promote sustainability, and reduce carbon emissions, the National Research Foundation (NRF) is playing a critical role in the development of the skills and partnerships essential for a just and inclusive