Research Support provides up-to-date advice and exploration of available funding opportunities, in particular facilitating applications to the National Research Foundation (NRF) and other national funding bodies. Internal funding opportunities for academics, postgraduate students and postdoctoral fellows are also encouraged and supported. Newly appointed academics are assisted and encouraged, so that they can attain expected levels of locally relevant and internationally competitive research. Institutional quality assurance is applied to all funding applications and advice given to researchers to improve the likelihood of success. Research Support also gathers all published, peer-reviewed research outputs (articles, books, chapters in books and conference proceedings) annually, before submitting them to the national Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET).

 In summary, Research Support can assist researchers at the University of Pretoria with:

• Advice, support and facilitating applications for NRF funding and rating

• Information on internal grants and funding opportunities within UP

• Assistance with applying for other national funding opportunities like CANSA and MRC

• Up-to-dateadvice and exploration of international and local opportunitiesfor funding

• Assistance with proposal and budget preparation and review

• Internal quality assurance of all UP funding applications

• Submitting funding proposals, on behalf of UP researchers or research teams

• Servicing existing grants and making sure researchers adhere to deadlines for reports

• Partnering with the Library Services in identification of accredited journals

• Early career development and capacity building for academics recently appointed to UP

• Responding to calls for national and international research awards and nominating UP researchers.

NRF applications for funding and rating

The National Research Foundation (NRF) offers funding to all researchers employed by Universities or Research Councils. At the University of Pretoria, this is an accessible source of research funding which is, perhaps, underutilised by researchers.  Research support can assist researchers applying for the various calls. In collaboration with NRF staff, faculty sessions are also offered where researchers are taken  through steps in the online application forms. Individual staff members at Research Support can also evaluate proposals and give advice on how to improve your chances of having the NRF application accepted.

As well as funding research, the NRF rates researchers. Rating is essential for all  researchers, but can be daunting to early career academics, as it appears to be complicated. Research Support staff have the expertise and experience to evaluate your current research achievements, and then to give appropriate guidance prior to submitting the application. Once you are ready to apply, they will also guide and assist you with your application.

Internal funding

Those who wish to apply for the Vice-Chancellor’s   Academic Development Programme (VCADP), or the UP Research Development Programme (UPRDP), can obtain application forms from Research Support.  The VCADP grant enables researchers to obtain funding for teaching support (employing someone to lecture in their place), so that they can complete their degrees. The UPRDP is a UP-funded three-year programme, renewed annually on a competitive basis. It is a start-up fund for recently appointed early career academics that already have a PhD, to enable them to establish a research career. It is managed through partnership between Research Support and Departments throughout UP

Research outputs

Annually, UP must submit all published and peer-reviewed research outputs to the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) for subsidy purposes. Research Support is responsible for collating all of these research outputs on a data-base, in order to conform to DHET policy. If researchers are unclear about what publications they can submit, or how to fill in the forms for submission, they are welcome to ask for assistance from Research Support staff members, who have the required expertise.

For further information or assistance please contact:

 E-mail: [email protected]

Tel 2712 420 4961 or 420 5006

We are located in the Graduate Centre (Building 52); Ground Floor Office 1.87 on the Hatfield Campus.