National Research Foundation of South Africa
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The National Research Foundation (NRF) of South Africa is a government research foundation. It reports directly to the South African Minister of Science and Technology.
[edit] Profile
The NRF was established in 1999 by the South African parliament through the NRF Act. As stated in the act, the objective of the NRF is to "support and promote scientific research by means of funding, human resource development and the provision of the necessary research facilities, resulting in the creation of knowledge, innovation and development in all fields of the natural and social sciences, humanities and technology". As such, the Foundation thus functions as the South African government's national agency responsible for promoting and supporting basic and applied research as well as innovation.
In practice, this means that the NRF provides services and gives grants to support research and postgraduate research training. This funding is mostly directed towards supporting South Africa's national research facilities (see below), supporting academic research and developing high-level human resources. The NRF's task is active in all fields of the humanities, social and natural sciences, engineering and technology. In order to achieve these aims, the NRF also forms local and international strategic partnerships.
The first and current (2006) NRF president is Doctor Khotso (K.M.) Mokhele. Its chairperson is professor BD Reddy, Dean of Science at the University of Cape Town).
[edit] Main activities
The main activities of the NRF are divided as follows:
- Research and Innovation Support and Advancement:
- Parliamentary core grant funding
- Technology and Human Resources for Industry Programme
- The Innovation Fund
- Astronomical/Space/Geographical Sciences:
- Biodiversity/Conservation:
- South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity (*)
- South African Environmental Observation Network (*)
- Nuclear Sciences:
- iThemba Laboratory for Accelerator Based Sciences (*)
- Advancing Science:
- South African Agency for Science and Technology Advancement
(*) denotes a South African National Research Facility
[edit] External links
- National Research Foundation Website
- "South African research official says nation's scientists uniting for common goals." Lissa Harris, Cornell Chronicle, February 28, 2002.
