The National Research Foundation (NRF) has made significant progress in implementing the Presidential PhD Programme by launching a call for Expressions of Interest (EOI) from universities and other research organisations that wish to host the programme’s hubs.

The Presidential PhD Programme is a collaboration between several organisations, including the National Research Foundation (NRF), the Presidency, the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI), the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), and the National Skills Fund (NSF). 

This programme uses a hub-and-spoke model to facilitate effective communication and resource sharing among all participating institutions and partners.

The call for EOI comes after the Presidential Plenary on Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) that took place in December 2023. 

During this event, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the establishment of the Presidential PhD Programme. 

This initiative will involve an initial investment of R1 billion, intended to support PhD training both locally and internationally, and will be linked to large-scale, well-established research projects in both public research facilities and industry.

The initiative has four key components, which include developing world-class human capital in strategic areas and strengthening connections among academia, industry, government, and other stakeholders.

It also involves enhancing graduate employability by providing exposure to transferable skills and innovation ecosystems and facilitating access to leading research environments globally to improve knowledge transfer and build local capacity.

According to the NRF, the hubs will primarily be responsible for the design and implementation of collaborative PhD training programmes and activities. 

The key founding principles of the hubs are synergy, inclusivity, multi-disciplinary, economies of scale, sharing of resources, and pursuing the principle that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. 

“The hubs will not only provide intellectual leadership but also serve as coordinators and training centres to ensure uptake of the opportunities within the Presidential PhD Programme’s initiatives, in collaboration with various stakeholders, including local and international research-performing institutions, universities, industry, science councils, and government departments.” 

In addition, the hubs will be responsible for identifying strategic stakeholders and potential partners, while also assessing their needs and contributions. 

They will lead the design and implementation of mentorship networks, monitor the progress of doctoral students towards completion, and coordinate the various nodes with support from the NRF.

“We have taken a giant leap towards realising the ambitious goals of the Presidential PhD Programme,” said NRF CEO, Dr Fulufhelo Nelwamondo. 

“The hubs will be instrumental in our national drive to develop a new generation of highly skilled researchers, policymakers, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders.” 

The programme is grounded in the goals of the National Development Plan (NDP) and the STI Decadal Plan, which call for the graduation of 5 000 PhDs per annum and having 75% of the universities’ academic and research staff qualified with PhDs by 2030.

The training programme will build critical skills aimed at social transformation, with the initial areas of focus being digital innovation, advanced biotechnology, the energy-food-health sustainability nexus, and mining transformation.

The NRF will coordinate and mobilise support to attain the outcomes envisaged for graduate skilling in entrepreneurship, innovation, academia, policy, and advocacy.

Institutions eligible to host lead hubs are NRF-recognised research institutions such as South African public universities and public research entities such as science councils, national research facilities, and institutes. 

These institutions must possess strong research capabilities in a specific theme that aligns with the Presidential PhD Programme and have a proven track record in transdisciplinary and interdisciplinary coordination.

Meanwhile, the NRF said institutions located on the continent and around the globe can participate in the hubs programme as nodes or as partners. –