South Africa’s research and development funding, human resource development and infrastructure agency, the National Research Foundation (NRF), and the FirstRand Empowerment Foundation (FREF), have renewed their partnership to further the demographic transformation of the country’s research community. This partnership is known as the Black Academics Advancement Programme (BAAP) and is aimed at supporting qualifying PhD and postdoctoral candidates. Despite its name, the programme also embraces South African academics with disabilities.

“The renewal of the funding agreement by the NRF and FREF is a significant step towards supporting black academic emerging researchers in South Africa,” affirmed NRF acting deputy CEO: research, innovation, impact support and advancement Dr Gugu Moche. “This initiative contributes to the diversification of the research landscape and fosters innovation. It is wonderful to see such commitment to the empowerment of under-represented groups in academia.”

BAAP was set up in 2018, as a five-year agreement. This renewal means that it will now run until 2028. During its first five years, the programme supported some 347 PhD and postdoctoral students at 26 universities.

“The partnership with the NRF demonstrates our organisation’s commitment to addressing inequality through impactful Public Benefit Activities that promote [broad-based black economic empowerment],” highlighted FREF social investing head Konehali Gugushe. “Our Quality Education pillar is dedicated to the enhancement of access to higher education; improvement of skills and earning opportunities; and the strengthening of institutional capacity to foster sustainable growth in the education sector.”

Under the programme, the maximum available annual funding for PhD candidates is R300 000. For postdoctoral candidates, the figure is R400 000.

The programme is also intended to increase the total number of South Africans with PhD and postdoctoral qualifications. In 2009, it was established that only 33% of the permanent academic staff at South African universities had PhDs. The National Development Plan 2030 seeks to increase this proportion to 75% by 2030.

“FREF is fully committed to the establishment of strategic partnerships with organisations like the NRF, which leverage their research and innovation capabilities to ensure the continued delivery of high-impact societal interventions,” stressed Gugushe. “Our partners are essential to realising our shared vision for a better future.”