The Faculty contributes substantially to the building of research and teaching capacity in South Africa by producing highly skilled graduates, as well as generating new scientific knowledge through our research publications.

A significant number of our scientists are evaluated internationally and acknowledged by the National Research Foundation as researchers of high international standing – and in some cases, as world leaders in their fields. The Faculty is proud to host 50% of the A-rated researchers, and 40% of the NRF-rated researchers at the University of Pretoria.

In this Faculty, we constantly push the frontiers of knowledge and develop new technology that will help the Faculty to stay in step with the challenges of a continuously changing world.

As Deputy Dean: Research and Postgraduate Studies, I will furthermore endeavour to enhance the postgraduate student experience and the research outputs of the Faculty and support the careers, particularly those of the young academics in science.

I also wish to invite graduate students to become part of the exciting world of research by enrolling for postgraduate studies in the Faculty. Wonderful opportunities exist in world class, internationally acclaimed institutes and centres, such as the Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute, the Mammal Research Institute, Genomics Research Institute, the Institute for Food, Nutrition and Well-being and the Conservation Ecology Research Unit.