South African and Canadian universities are pondering research partnerships ahead of an NRF Call for Proposals

A recent webinar between South African and Canadian universities closed on a high note as prospective researchers walked away with a sense of anticipation for what is coming.

In the context of the two countries’ research collaboration network known as South Africa-Canada Universities Network (SACUN), the objective of the webinar on 5 September was to create awareness of an impending call for research proposals from South Africa’s National Research Foundation (NRF) to be published in the first quarter of 2025 – Mr Mahlubi Mabizela, Director: Operations and Sector Support at Universities South Africa (USAf), who was Programme Director on the day, explained.

He said this webinar was a deliberate platform for engagement over the impending call for proposals, and a trigger for joint development of research proposals in accordance with collaborating universities’ interests, strengths and research areas identified to address common challenges.

Mr Mabizela also informed those in attendance that the NRF, a public entity and a significant partner in the funding of research in South African public universities, had committed R9 million funding for the next three years towards South Africa-Canada Universities research collaborations, anticipating that Canadian research funders would match the investment with an equivalent in Canadian Dollars, of what the R9 million stood to achieve in South Africa.

The R9 million, effective from 2025, will be allocated in R3million tranches (matched by the Canadian Dollar equivalent) per year from 2025 to 2027.

The formal Call for Proposals will be announced in 2025, but researchers are encouraged to start envisioning collaborations now. The research projects will be supported for a period of 24 months commencing in October 2025 – a month after successful researchers are selected and accordingly informed. The NRF portion of the research grant will be given to the South African Principal Investigator (PI) upon signing the conditions of grant contract, while the SACUN portion is allocated to the Canadian PI.  Participating universities from all sides are expected to raise additional funding for their research project and must declare any leveraged funds in their research funding application. 

The forthcoming Call for Proposals will focus on collaborative research projects that seek to empower emerging and next-generation researchers to become globally engaged citizens, tackling major societal challenges such as technological solutions within the context of the Fourth Industrial Revolution; sustainable growth solutions; just and resilient societies; One Health; and environmental sustainability.  

Applications are open to researchers from South African or Canadian universities and all Principal Investigators must be in a possession of a PhD. Other conditions for eligibility are shared below. 

In addition to the researcher requirements, research projects funded under the auspices of SACUN must be geared to promote human capacity development, equity, and redress. The projects must involve mid-career researchers from historically disadvantaged and underrepresented groups. The aim is to facilitate new connections for individuals in these groups for their own growth and development.  Because the programme will foster new linkages and engagements with small cohorts of emerging and established researchers, it will support research activities such as:

• Postgraduate student exchange programmes
• General research-related mobility
• Joint workshops, seminars, conferences, symposia
• Capacity building sessions such as participation in winter/summer schools, master classes, etc.
• Meetings, local/regional dissemination of research results aimed at involving stakeholders, and/or end-users from outside the consortium.
• Large grant writing activities

The following costs will not be covered in the fund allocation: 

• Consultant’s fees
• Project management fees
• Educational expenses (scholarships and/or bursaries, etc.)
• Large equipment
• Salaries and temporary staff fees.

South African researchers must submit applications through the NRF Connect system accessible at http://nrfconnect.nrf.ac.za. Applicants are directed to consult the General Application Guide 2024 for assistance with the application process.  Supporting documents, all listed below, must be submitted in pdf format.  The deadline for submission of proposals is 25 April 2025, and applicants will receive final feedback by early September 2025, for the research projects to commence in October 2025.  

The review process will be undertaken in two stages: first to check researcher eligibility before the applications are subjected to a remote peer review process at national/regional level. This will be followed by another evaluation by a joint selection panel (representing the NRF and SACUN). It is at this stage that funding will be allocated.  

At its peak, the 5 September webinar attracted 75 attendees, representing no fewer than 23 of South Africa’s public institutions of higher learning. Universities on both sides were represented by executives at the level of Deputy Vice-Chancellor (DVC) or its Canada equivalent, Deputy Vice-President. Research directors, directors of international partnership offices and related portfolios were also in attendance. The NRF was represented by the officials who had developed the Call for Proposals — up for discussion on that day. Mr Mlungisi Zondi, Professional Officer:  Inter-Institutional Grants and Partnerships, presented the Call for Proposals, on behalf of Mr Michael Nxumalo, Director: Africa Collaborative Grants and Initiatives in the Knowledge Advancement and Support directorate.  Also represented were the International Education Association of South Africa and the Human Sciences Research Council. 

On Canada’s side, up to nine institutions were represented, namely Carleton University, the University of Alberta, the University of British Columbia, Queens University, the University of Saskatchewan, the University of Toronto, the University of Waterloo and York University. Also represented was the Canadian Bureau of International Education. The Canadian High Commission in South Africa was represented by the Trade Commissioner, Ms Caroline Bolduc, alongside South Africa’s High Commission in Canada, represented by the First Secretary (Political), Mr J Tladi.

Question 1 from Professor Ouahada Khmaies, Professor in the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering Science at the University of Johannesburg: Please clarify the figures involved in Canadian dollars.

Professor David Hornsby, Carleton University: We are looking at a maximum of ZAR200k per project, which is approximately CAD $15k

Question 2 from Professor Khmaies: We, at the University of Johannesburg, already have a Memorandum of Understanding with Moncton University in Quebec. I need to know whether they can submit a proposal, or whether there is a restriction regarding which university to collaborate with, in Canada? 

Mr Mlungisi Zondi, NRF: No, there is no restriction. 

Question 3 from Dr John Bell, International Research Officer, University of Alberta, Canada: Is there a membership eligibility requirement to this?

Professor Hornsby: That will be an important issue as the network grows but, for now, we’re open. 

Question 4 from Dr John Bell: Is there a separate application processes, one for SA and another for Canada?

Professor David Hornsby: There is only one application process, sent through the NRF. But the principal investigator must be South African. There must be a demonstration of additional resources on the Canadian side — whether it is private funding or institutional (in cash or in kind) is immaterial. 

Question 5 from Dr Tasmeera Singh, International Higher Education specialist, Cape Peninsula University of Technology:  How many awards can we look at, per year?

Professor Hornsby: The maximum that can be requested is R200K (Can Dollars15K), which works out at a total of 15 awards a year. 

Question 6: If we get less that the targeted number of applications per year, can the amount get adjusted upward per project?

Mr Zondi: Yes, it could, or the balance could be rolled over to the next year. 

Question 7: by Mr Mahlubi Chief Mabizela, Director: Operations and Sector Support at USAf:  What is the envisaged call publication date? 

Mr Zondi: We aim to publish it in the last week of January or the first week of February to allow up to two months until April. We will publish the call on the NRF website. 

Question 8 by Mr Mabizela: Can this presentation be accessed on any other platform other than the NRF website? 

Mr Zondi:  For communication purposes, it will also be provided via email.

Comment by Ms Caroline Bolduc, Trade Commissioner at the Canadian High Commission in South Africa:  We could also promote the Call for Proposals on social media if you provide readily written copy. 

Question 9 from Ms Anisa Khan, Director: Academic Services, University of Johannesburg: Have you scoped out any other calls for proposals for 2025, that could be presented as supplementary funding towards a larger study?

Mr Zondi: We will announce other calls for proposals towards the end of 2024 to early 2025. 

Professor Hornsby: Anisa Khan’s question makes sense. We’re using this upfront investment as a seed. Researchers may use this money to supplement other funds towards bigger research projects.  While we appreciate NRF’s generosity, we also realistically note that in the bigger scheme of things, the amount is not huge. 

Question 10 from Dr Tasmeera Singh: Can the PI be either South African or Canadian?

Response: There should be a SA PI and a CDN PI. 

Question 11: from Dr Ramaswamy, Meghna: Director, International Office, University of Saskatchewan, Canada:  What size must a research consortium be?

Response: There is not restriction on the size of a consortium.

Question 12: from Dr Skandha Sunderasen, Associate Director: Global Engagement and Strategic Directions, York University, Canada: Thank you again to Universities South Africa, the NRF and David Hornsby. Can we make a provision that if tri-council funds a Canadian researcher that includes an SA collaborator, that there will be a guaranteed fund-match from the NRF if it aligns with the NRF goals? The point is to ensure that there is only one application submitted.

This webinar was mighty useful. Thank you.

Professor Hornsby: Thanks Skandha…Just to clarify, there is only one application to be submitted for this call. It is through the NRF Portal and done through the South African principal investigator. 

Comment: from Dr Sunderasen: Thank you so much for this great opportunity and help. Thanks also to our Canadian collaborators. Big thanks from York University to our South African colleagues for your leadership in bringing both countries around research together with David.  

Question 13: Can we organise networking opportunities for researchers and universities around the five themes? One group per theme? This is just a suggestion.

Comment by Ms Bloodless Dzwairo, Research Associate, Department of Civil Engineering, Durban University of Technology: This is sincerely acknowledged and extremely appreciated. Our esteemed researchers will appreciate this simplified process. Thanks so much. BD 

Comment by Dr Tasmeera Singh: Thank you very much for this informative webinar. On behalf of the International Education Association of South Africa (IEASA), I am looking forward to future engagements.

Comment by Professor Kouahada Thank you for the informative session

Concluding comment by Professor Betina Appel Kuzmarov, Associate Vice-President (International) at Carleton University: Big thank you to all attendees, and to our colleagues in academia, as well as government in South Africa and in Canada, for supporting and animating the SACUN initiative. 

‘Mateboho Green is Universities South Africa’s Manager: Corporate Communication.