South African Research Chairs Initiative (SARChI)
The DST-NRF SARChI was awarded to IERI in 2008. Its activities for the next five years are planned in three areas:
- Research
SARChI will employ post-doctoral fellows and a number of short-term research fellows and associates to build knowledge in science, technology, innovation, development and integration. The objective for SARChI is to produce scientific scholarly work by joining the fellows to work in teams and generate output. Scientific papers, books and journal articles will be produced for the five year period.
Collaborative research projects will be organised with external partners such as Oxford, Aalborg, Lund and the wider GLOBELICS. Mammo Muchie is also working with the Sanjaya Lall Programme on Technology, Management and Development (SLPTMD) as a senior associate. With Aalborg University the Danish Africa Commission is encouraging research on development economics, innovation and growth. SARChI is intent on utilising this opportunity to facilitate joint research between universities in Denmark and Africa. The Lund UNESCO Research Chair has invited SARChI to serve as the Regional Node for Africa. Mammo Muchie also serves on the Scientific Board of GLOBELICS. It is from these various communities, amongst others, that research publications are being solicited for the AJSTID. AJSTID will be published three times a year, and will in the cycle of the next five years produce no less than fifteen issues. - Teaching
Recruitment to the Doctoral Programmes began in 2008; SARChI has accepted seven candidates and they are in the process of registering with the Faculty of Engineering at TUT. To compliment the IDRC-IERI Research Awards, SIDA/SAREC has agreed to open a Lundvall African Doctoral Award which will bolster the PhD training programmes. SARChI will help in the IERI plan to get the MSc in STI accredited. This will provide a pipeline leading towards doctoral training. The AGARIC will be a quality enhancing mechanism also aimed at enhancing the PhD programmes of IERI. - Public and Community engagement
Public lectures, seminars, conferences will be organised by the SARChI for the wider community. Policy relevant scientific advice for various stakeholders will be used, like involvement in Login Africa, interviews, newspaper articles, and lectures will be used to reach the wider public.
More information: http://www.nrf.ac.za/sarchi/