In May 2026 Universities South Africa launched an Open Call for Impact Case Studies demonstrating the societal impact of academic work carried out by South African universities. A Guidance Note and a Template were provided as part of the Open Call, to help universities in structuring and presenting their impact case studies. Each university was invited to submit a maximum of three Impact Case Studies, describing how the academic work conducted at that university has resulted in a verifiably positive impact on society (outside of academia). The aim is for selected impact case studies to be displayed on the USAf website, in order to have a public demonstration of the value added to society by the work of South African universities.

The 2026 open call can be seen at https://usaf.ac.za/open-call-for-impact-case-studies-2026/. This open call followed similar exercises in 2024 and 2025, the results of which can be seen on the USAf website under the ‘Societal Impact’ tab.

In response to the Open Call, 34 Impact Case Studies were submitted by universities from across South Africa. These submissions were assessed according to the criteria outlined in the Guidance Note. The Assessment Panel consisted of:

• Prof Chris Brink, Emeritus Vice-Chancellor, Newcastle University UK. (Chair)
• Prof Phil Gummet, former CEO of the Welsh Funding Council and Impact Coordinator of the 2026 Hong Kong Research Assessment Exercise.
• Prof Bavesh Kana, Head of the School of Pathology at the University of the Witwatersrand, and winner of the 2024 NRF Societal Impact Award.
• Dr Nomakwezi Mzilikazi, Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research, Innovation and Strategic Partnerships, Rhodes University.
• Prof Rachael Jesika Singh, Director: Research and Postgraduate Support, University of the Western Cape.

The Assessment Panel selected 14 Impact Case Studies to appear on the USAf website. Classified by disciplinary origin, these are:

Agricultural Sciences: 0 Impact Case Studies selected in 2026.

Engineering and Technology: 5 Impact Case Studies selected in 2026:

• Cape Peninsula University of Technology: From Space Research to Space Sovereignty: Commercializing South African Technologies for Global Markets.
• Nelson Mandela University: From Engineering Knowledge to Societal Impact: Strengthening Local Industry, Skills and Future-ready Engineering through eNtsa.
• Tshwane University of Technology:
  • From Technical Skills to Economic Opportunity: TUT’s Integrated Technical and Entrepreneurship Training Programme.
  • Creating Rural Industrial Entrepreneurs Through Technical Skills and Entrepreneurship Development: The Bushbuckridge Aluminium Enterprise Initiative.
• University of KwaZulu-Natal: Woz’Olwandle: Real-time coastal water quality forecasts for safer South African beaches.

Humanities and Social Sciences: 1 Impact Case Study selected in 2026:

• University of the Western Cape: A Social Justice Approach to Transforming Educational Opportunities for Marginalised Adult Learners through Recognition of Prior Learning: From Institutional Innovation to National Influence in South Africa.

Management, Business, Economics and Finance: 1 Impact Case Study selected in 2026:

• University of Pretoria: Co-creating sustainable livelihoods through the art of embroidery.

Medical and Health Sciences: 3 Impact Case Studies selected in 2026:

• Cape Peninsula University of Technology: Combating Hidden Hunger through the development and commercialization of Nutri-Caro-E Fortification Technology
• University of the Western Cape: PHLEX: Transforming Pharmacy Education into Societal Impact through Experiential Learning.
• University of the Witwatersrand: Transforming Equitable Access to Liver Transplantation in South Africa: The Wits Model of Academic Innovation, Partnership and Public Benefit.

Natural Sciences: 1 Impact Case Study selected in 2026:

• University of the Witwatersrand: Artificial Intelligence for affordable air-quality monitoring, early warning and environmental health.

Interdisciplinary: 3 Impact Case Studies selected in 2026:

• University of Limpopo: From Farmer Readiness to Community Action: Research-led Sustainable Land Management in Ga-Matji, Limpopo Province.
• University of the Free State:
  • Re-engineering a degraded coalfield wetland into ecological infrastructure: the Zaalklapspruit acid mine drainage passive treatment case.
  • From Research to Resilience: Transforming Food Security, Nutrition and Livelihoods through Community-based Soy Interventions in South Africa.

Nine universities were successful in having at least one Impact Case Study selected to appear on the USAf website. The successful universities are (in alphabetical order):

• Cape Peninsula University of Technology: 2 case studies
• Nelson Mandela University: 1 case study
• Tshwane University of Technology: 2 case studies
• University of Kwazulu-Natal: 1 case study
• University of Limpopo: 1 case study
• University of Pretoria: 1 case study
• University of the Free State: 2 case studies
• University of the Western Cape: 2 case studies
• University of the Witwatersrand: 2 case studies.