Research and Human Resources Development
Funding Opportunities of
the NRF
Presentation at the
PLUME PROGRAMME:FIRST CENTRAL
WORKSHOP
OF LEAD RESEARCHERS AND HEADS OF
SCHOOLS NURSING
Pretoria 13 July 2012
Dr. Andrew M. Kaniki
Research - Innovation System
Value Chain
Curiosity-driven research
Needs/market-driven research
Public appropriability
Open research
Directed research
Development
Commercialisation
Agency - Core Grant
NRF
THRIP
TIA
National Research Facilities
Basic
research
Applied
research
Technology
development
Public appropriability
Product
development
Commercialisation
Wealth creation
THE NRF MANDATE
Support and promote research
Through funding, human resource development and
the provision of the necessary research facilities in
order
To facilitate
The creation of knowledge, innovation and development
in all fields of science and technology,
including
indigenous knowledge
And thereby contribute to
The improvement of the quality of life of all the people of
The Republic
National Research Foundation Act of 1998
Investment Principles
•
Healthy balance: strategy-driven vs. demand-pull
•
Effective, goal oriented resource allocation
•
Competitive funding
•
Merit-based and rigorous peer review
•
The Ph.D. as a driver
•
Cross-fertilisation of talent within NSI
•
Fairness, transparency, accountability
•
Transformation and excellence
Support for Grant Holders
2010/
11
2009/
10
2008/
09
2007/
08
R930 850 000
R929 199 000
R625 650 000
Human Capacity Development
Excellence Pipeline
Thuthuka Thuthuka Competitive
Post-PhD Rating
Funding
track
track
Unrated
Incentive
Funding
Rated
Competitive
Funding Rated
Blue-sky
Research
SARChI
CoE
-
10.50
-
-
100.01
51.15
5.98
3.02
44.41
-
2.92
108.43
63.84
2.41
5.75
5.21
70.98
5.10
3.54
141.43
68.77
37.09
5.64
5.93
6.01
79.00
18.36
9.23
182.69
67.90
53.71
13.01
11.21
6.87
100.00
28.39
15.25
302.36
69.52
Year
Studentship
Support
Thuthuka
PhD track
Postdoc
2008/09
183.20
5.65
23.09
2.38
5.67
2009/10
183.53
4.90
27.41
1.96
2010/11
307.34
4.18
48.30
254.47
4.46
318.59
13.37
2011/12
Budget
2012/13
Budget
7
Research Funding Programmes
- KFD
CORE FUNDING PROGRAMMES
• Blue skies research programme
• Centres of Excellence
• Competitive Support for unrated researchers (CSUR)
• Competitive programme for rated researchers (CPRR)
• Community Engagement
– Community University Partnership Programme
• Education Research
• Incentive Programme for Rated Researchers
CONTRACT AND RING-FENCED FUNDING
• AOP; CUPP; IKS; MWLA; NAASP; SEAChange; SABI; SANAP; MWLA
Cf: Overview of NRF Funding Opportunities and Rating of Researchers
8
Funding Opportunities for
Masters and Doctoral students
 South African Research Chairs
 FirstRand Foundation Mathematics Education Chairs
 SA Numeracy and Literacy Research Chair
 Centres of Excellence
 Freestanding scholarships
 Grantholder-linked bursaries
 Thuthuka Programme
 Institutional Capacity Development
9
Funding programmes
- HICD
Thuthuka programme aimed at the development of human capacity
primarily at South African higher educational institutions, particularly
among previously disadvantaged socio-economic groups (i.e. black
researchers and female researchers), as well as young academics
from all backgrounds.
Applicants apply for funding in one of three tracks:
• PhD Track: for applicants, wanting to obtain a PhD within the
funding period;
• Post-PhD Track: for applicants wanting to become established
researchers, strengthening their research capabilities; and
• NRF Rating Track: for applicants wanting to obtain a NRF rating
within the six-year funding period.
Funding Programmes
- HICD
Institutional Capacity Development (ICD): The ICD
research grants programme replaced the Institutional
Research Development Programme (IRDP), commonly
known as Research Niche Areas (RNAs), phasing out
concurrently with the implementation of the ICD.
ICD research grants aim to support the development of
institutional research capacity as well as the academic and
professional development of researchers.
11
Funding Programmes
- HICD
The South African Research Chairs Initiative (SARChI) focused
knowledge and human resource intervention that has five interrelated
objectives.
• to reverse the systemic decline in research outputs, focus and
capacity at publicly funded higher education institutions and research
councils
• to stimulate strategic research across the knowledge spectrum
• to strengthen and improve the capacity of HEIs, Science Councils,
Musea and University linked Teaching Hospitals to generate and
apply new knowledge in order to make South Africa competitive in
the international knowledge economy based on its existent and
potential strengths
• to create research career pathways for highly skilled, high quality
young and mid-career researchers that effectively addresses
historical racial, gender and age imbalances
• to improve and accelerate the training of highly qualified personnel
through research
12
Contact Details
Human & Institutional Capacity
Development (HICD)
Directorate:
Executive Director: Dr. Romilla
Maharaj Romilla@nrf.ac.za
Human Capacity Programme
(Scholarships & Fellowships)
Dr Thandi Mgwebi
thandi.mgwebi@nrf.ac.za
Thuthuka and ICD
Dr Claire Botha
claire.botha@nrf.ac.za
Research Chairs & the PhD
Programme
Dr. Linda Mtwisha
linda.mtwisha@nrf.ac.za
Knowledge Fields Development
(KFD) Directorate
Executive Director: Dr. Andrew M.
Kaniki Andrew@nrf.ac.za
Blue Skies Research; Education
Research; IKS; Incentive
Programme for Rated
Researchers Researchers;
Other Strategic Contract
Programmes
Dr. Kaluke Mawila
Kaluke.Mawila@nrf.ac.za
Community Engagement; CPRR
Other strategic contract
programmes
13
Mrs. Tracy Klarenbeek
Tracy@nrf.ac.za
Contact Details
• Knowledge Fields
Development
• Centre Of Excellence;
Competitive Support for
Unrated Researchers Dr.
Nthabiseng Taole.
Nthabiseng.Taole@nrf.ac.za
• Global Change Research;
Marine and Coastal Research
& other strategic contracts. Dr.
Achuo Enow
Achuo.Enow@nrf.ac.za