NRF Embarks on Strategic Learning Visit to UKRI's STFC Facilities

On Monday, 24 February 2025, a high-level delegation from the NRF, led by Dr Thandi Mgwebi, Group Executive for Business Advancement and including Dr Rudzani Nemutudi, Deputy Director at NRF-iThemba LABS, kicked off a week-long learning visit to the Science and Technology Facilities Council’s (STFC) world-class research facilities. This visit is part of the NRF’s broader effort to enhance South Africa’s research and innovation impact through partnerships.

The delegation’s first stop was Daresbury Laboratory, a leading centre for accelerator science, computational research, and industrial applications located in North-West England. NRF delegates reported that Day 1 was a great success.

Dr Thokozile Lewanika, a Senior Fellow in Business Advancement said, “Learning about the intentional structures created to foster collaboration between STFC facilities, industry and academia was truly inspiring. The research work at STFC facilities is driven by both academic research inquiry and by real business challenges articulated by industry stakeholders”.

“A key insight from day 1, is the innovative model of the co-location of STFC facilities, industry partners, and academic institutions at the Daresbury campus which facilitates greater collaboration and also creates a more sustainable talent ecosystem in which skills flow across the various stakeholders,” said Dr Mgwebi.

Throughout the week, the NRF team will engage with experts across several STFC facilities, identify opportunities for collaboration, and exchange best practices for science-business partnerships.

The long-standing collaboration between South Africa and the UK continues to thrive, with the two countries building on a rich history of academic and research partnerships. Since the formal establishment of the Science and Technology Agreement in 1995, the bilateral cooperation has grown, particularly in shared Science & Innovation (S&I) priority areas such as health research, astronomy and space, biosciences, and climate change.

In 2021, the National Research Foundation (NRF) of South Africa and the STFC, part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), formalised their partnership to drive collaborative scientific research. This has since paved the way for groundbreaking initiatives, including two major announcements in 2024:

• Research Infrastructure Partnership Programme (RIPP): A £14.2m fund from the UK International Science Partnership Fund (ISPF) that supports collaborations between UK and South African research communities and provides access to large-scale research infrastructure. This programme aims to tackle South Africa’s research challenges and support high-quality projects in key facilities such as iThemba Laboratory for Accelerator Based Sciences (NRF-iThemba LABS); the South African Astronomical Observatory (NRF-SAAO); and the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRF-SARAO).
• Africa UK Physics Partnership Programme (AUPP): A £10.7m initiative aimed at nurturing early-career physicists across Africa, with a particular focus on South Africa, to address future challenges in climate change and sustainable energy. The programme promotes equitable partnerships, intra-Africa collaborations, and gender inclusivity.

Stay tuned for more updates as the NRF delegation continues to forge impactful international collaborations and drive innovation that will benefit South Africa and the global research community.

For more details on Daresbury Laboratory, visit UKRI STFC Daresbury.