NRF Participates at the Mandela-Rhodes Postgraduate Funding Fair Held at Rhodes University, Makhanda

NRF Participates at the Mandela-Rhodes Postgraduate Funding Fair Held at Rhodes University, Makhanda

Rhodes University (RU) in collaboration with Nelson Mandela University (NMU), hosted a Mandela-Rhodes Postgraduate Funding Fair on 17 May 2024 at RU under the theme “Promoting Access and Succes in Postgraduate Education Through Funding”.

Limited funding is a major constraint for entry into postgraduate education, resulting in low progression rates from Honours to Doctoral levels. As a result, the NRF was invited to exhibit on postgraduate funding opportunities. The NRF honoured the invite by presenting on postgraduate funding eligibility criteria, the application processes, and associated timelines. Prospective applicants were encouraged to submit competitive applications. The NRF delegation consisted of Ms Kgaugelo Molepo and Mr Lehlogonolo Phaahla from the Next Generation and Emerging Researcher Department. 

The fair targeted current Honours students, as well as potential Master’s and Doctoral students from RU and NMU. The NRF delegation was allocated a stall to exhibit the NRF postgraduate funding opportunities where they had the pleasure of engaging with various students and gave out marketing materials such as flyers, containing detailed information on various NRF postgraduate funding opportunities.

The Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research, Innovation & Strategic Partnerships at RU, Dr Nomakwezi Mzilikazi remarked: “The postgraduate funding fair was a resounding success with multiple impacts. On the one hand, postgraduate students were exposed to a wide range of funding bodies including those that fund students from the rest of the African continent. The different funders present expressed pleasure at the opportunity to interact with students and researchers as their only interaction with students is often through online application platforms, spreadsheets and emails. For RU, this was an opportunity to discuss with funders the opportunities for partnership in support of our university’s development trajectories. The partnership with NMU gives practical meaning to the intention of the VCs of the four universities in the Eastern Cape to collaborate in meaningful ways.”

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