University of the Free State signs partnership with NRF
The relationship between the University of the Free State (UFS) and the National Research Foundation (NRF) – as well as with the Department of Science and Innovation through the NRF – is a critical partnership. These two organisations fund significant research at the UFS, and it is therefore important to understand what the NRF’s strategy for funding will be in the future.
This is according to Prof Francis Petersen, Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the UFS, who met with the NRF Corporate Executive team earlier this month (24 January) on the Bloemfontein Campus. Prof Melanie Walker, who holds the SARCHi Chair in Higher Education and Human Development, Prof Hendrik Swart, Chair: Solid-state Luminescent and Advanced Materials, Prof Heidi Hudson, Dean of the Faculty of the Humanities, Dr Glen Taylor, Senior Director: Directorate Research Development at the UFS, Prof Witness Mudzi, Director of the Centre for Graduate Support, and Mr Chris Liebenberg, Senior Director: Finance, were also part of the meeting.
Moving more into the research environment
Prof Petersen said the university’s strategy is to open up and be more outward- focused, connecting with the outside world both locally and globally. The rector stated that this strategy is bold and very specific. “Our focus is to move much more into the research environment, and I think I am talking to the right entity. We use the term research-led rather than research-intensive. Everything we are doing will be informed by research, and for me, that is a pit stop to research intensity.”
According to him, areas will furthermore be identified on which the university will focus more, and the appropriate expertise will be built to attract excellent academics and top students.
One of the areas used as an example was the agricultural sector.
Being partners in research
Prof Fulufhelo Nelwamondo, CEO of the NRF, said the main reason for the visit is because the NRF believes that the two institutions will operate as partners to advance science and to establish the roles that each needs to fulfil in order to overcome the challenges facing the country.
He further stated that the country has the great challenge of achieving 5 000 PhD graduates by 2030. “We need to find the key areas that we can develop for South Africa to have the impact we need to make us sustainable as a society, but also to make sure that research infrastructure and the research enterprise continues to grow.”
He also emphasised the importance of research impact and its feasibility.
Prof Nelwamondo wanted to know about the challenges the university is facing, as well as the infrastructure needs and how the NRF could help to address these challenges.
He also wanted to know the university’s viewpoint on getting the private sector more involved in funding and supporting young researchers. He said the challenge is how the NRF should work with the UFS to create a culture that will help drive South Africa to become an innovative and industrialised country, underpinned by the development of a knowledge-based economy.
Regarding the aspects of innovation, Prof Nelwamondo said: “We need to ensure that we find a way of translating the good research and science that is done at universities to produce products that will end up in the marketplace.”
UFS focus areas
In his presentation, Dr Taylor indicated that the university will soon embark on a new research strategy that will align with Vision130. The focus will be on the impact of research in the future and also on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“We have introduced a new performance management system that places much more emphasis on the research environment, but also takes into consideration how we engage with industry, international partners, and communities. So, there is a lot more structure and more consistency in terms of what is expected of our academics,” he said.
According to Dr Taylor, the university will intervene in the Thuthuka funding programme of the NRF and has already formulated a strategy to increase the quality of submissions to the NRF.
“Some of the areas where we think there is potential and where we would like to approach the NRF in the future, includes the Faculty of Health Sciences’ Robert WM Frater Cardiovascular Research Unit, and Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) within the Faculty of Health Sciences. The Afromontane Research Unit (ARU) situated on the Qwaqwa Campus is another focus area that we place a lot of emphasis on.”
He further stated that other areas the UFS can also look at are the Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) Unit, Centre for Human Rights, Natural Based Solutions with the CSIR, Africa Studies, the areas associated with Food Sciences, the Magic Initiative in collaboration with the Merensky Foundation, and the Food Security Platform involving various partners.”