South Africans can access billions of Euros’ worth of research grants via the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation
Universities South Africa’s (USAf’s) 3rd Higher Education Conference in October 2024 revealed that the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI) has a host of funding opportunities for researchers.
Ms Tugela Matubatuba (left), Director: Strategic Partnerships at DSTI, presented an overview of what is on offer in her portfolio that manages cooperation in science, technologies and innovation between corporations in South Africa and the European Union.
She spoke alongside Dr Mbulelo Ncango, Senior Manager: Next Generation and Emerging Researchers at the National Research Foundation (NRF). Both spoke on Funding University Research for Impact: Funding Opportunities, which formed part of the conference session, The University as an Impactful Societal Resource.
Horizon Europe
Ms Matubatuba outlined programmes such as Horizon Europe, which provides funding for research that addresses global challenges.
It has a budget of €95.5 billion for the period 2021 to 2027. “It is the European Union’s biggest development programme for research and innovation,” she said. Horizon Europe welcomes international cooperation and is open to all legal entities. This means that individuals, researchers, businesses, institutions, universities and other organisations established in a European Union member state or a country associated with Horizon Europe is eligible for funding.
Those interested in collaborative research proposals can reach out to European partners.

For individual grants or fellowships, researchers are advised to contact potential European host institutions, namely the European Research Council and Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions. Local contact people who can assist are Dr Prudence Makhura, executive director for International Grants and Partnerships at the NRF and Dr Maphuti Madiga, Deputy Director for the Emerging Researchers Programme at DSTI.
European Union science counsellors across the world or at the research community network, Euraxess Hubs, can be contacted at: https://euraxess.ec.europa.eu/worldwide/africa.
To apply to Horizon Europe, one must be nominated via a South African national contact point, which can be identified on www.esastap.org.za/national-contact-points.
South Africa has the most participants (38) in the area of health, followed by Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment (35 participants) and has collaborated mostly with Germany, followed by France, Italy, Spain and the Netherlands.
Africa Initiative
This is a programme within Horizon Europe. It was established in July 2020, the first ever European Union and African Union Research & Innovation programme to strengthen long-term cooperation in finding solutions to enhance global public health, socioeconomic development and recovery from CoViD-19.
The second Africa Initiative programme, which ends this year, called for proposals in four joint policy priorities:
- Public health
- Green transition
- Innovation and technology; and
- Capacities for science.
Eureka
This is an inter-governmental network for international cooperation that supports research and development projects and facilitates access to funding. Their network projects are flexible in that their applications are open throughout the year. For more information see https://eurekanetwork.org/opencalls/.

Apply now
ESASTAP, a collaboration between DSTI and the European Commission, has two open calls now. One is for biodiversity projects and the other is on Water4All.
The BiodivTransform call aims to support interdisciplinary, transdisciplinary, and/or cross-sectoral research and innovation projects that will:
- Help understand trade-offs and cross-linkages between the worldwide crises of biodiversity loss, climate change and pollution
- Identify, analyse, and comprehend transformation processes that may safeguard biodiversity by mitigating its threats and halt – even reverse – its decline, as well as the benefits it may provide to people.
This call adopts a bottom-up approach and intentionally does not define research themes.
Mandatory pre-proposals are due in on Friday 8 November for projects that will start between 1 December 2025 and 1 April 2026. More information is available at https://www.biodiversa.eu/2024/06/11/2024-2025-joint-call/
The Water4All partnership is about water security for the planet and funds research in freshwater. Co-funded by the European Union, it is part of the Horizon Europe programme and is valid is for seven years from 2022. More information is available at https://www.water4all-partnership.eu/joint-activities/open-calls.
Upcoming Science Forum South Africa 2024
“We look forward to seeing everyone at the science forum in December that is happening here,” said Ms Matubatuba, referring to the CSIR International Convention Centre in Pretoria.The forum is from 4 to 6 December.
Gillian Anstey is a contract writer for Universities South Africa.