NRF and Globelics Partnership Will Strengthen SA's Doctoral Research Capacity

A significant milestone in South Africa’s research and innovation landscape was reached this past week as the National Research Foundation (NRF), through the Presidential PhD Programme, and the Global Network for Economics of Learning, Innovation, and Competence Building Systems (Globelics) formalised a partnership with a Letter of Intent.

The ceremony took place on the sidelines of the Globelics International Conference, held from 24–26 November 2025 at the NRF in Pretoria, and hosted in partnership with the University of Johannesburg, Globelics and its partners. The signing represents a strategic commitment to collaborate to strengthen research capacity, promote mobility, and cultivate future research leaders within South Africa and across the Global South.

The Presidential PhD Programme, South Africa’s flagship initiative to expand and transform the national doctoral pipeline, stands to gain significantly from this collaboration. By joining forces with the globally recognised Globelics network, the programme will gain access to an extensive community of innovation scholars, research networks, and international learning platforms.

The partnership agreement was signed by the NRF’s Dr Thandi Mgwebi, Group Executive: Business Advancement, and Professor Erika Kraemer-Mbula, President of Globelics (2021–2025) and Professor of Economics at the University of Johannesburg.

Reflecting on this milestone, Dr Mgwebi said, “The partnership will offer candidates of the Presidential PhD Programme enriched opportunities for knowledge infusion, joint publications, collaborative training, mentorship, and engagement with leading experts in the economics and dynamics of innovation systems.”

“It marks an important step in building a more capable and globally connected research ecosystem in South Africa,” Dr Mgwebi added. “As the country continues to invest in high-level skills and knowledge production, the NRF–Globelics collaboration signals a decisive commitment to preparing the next generation of scholars to contribute meaningfully to national and global challenges.”

Professor Kraemer-Mbula added, “This is truly a milestone and a significant outcome of the conference, marking a key development with prospective impact for South Africa as the Globelics network gains the opportunity to contribute to the implementation of this important programme.”

For enquiries on this partnership, please email Mr Zwelithini Yika at z.yika@nrf.ac.za.