The National Research Foundation (NRF) and the FirstRand Foundation (FRF) have partnered to pursue the goal of increasing the proportion of suitably qualified Black African academic staff and academic staff with disabilities, at South African public universities, by establishing the Black Academics Advancement Programme (BAAP).
In the context of higher education, a PhD qualification is a requirement for undertaking high quality research and supervising PhD students. The production and support of emerging researchers, i.e. those that are on the path to becoming established researchers, is also a prerequisite to promote globally competitive research and innovation. The NRF therefore promotes the research development of emerging researchers, employed at South African public universities, from the pre-PhD level to the attainment of an NRF rating.
This programme is a directed intervention aimed at promoting the development of Black academics specifically, Black South African citizens and academic staff with disabilities, by accelerating the training of PhD and Post-PhD candidates to enhance their research training and accelerate their progression to become established researchers.
Application Requirements
Applications must be submitted by each South African public university in response to the call for applications. University management is required to implement processes to ensure that the NRF receives complete and well-motivated applications by the closing date. In this regard, universities are encouraged to form strategic partnerships with other universities for proposal development, co-supervision and/or support for emerging research development.
The number of applications that may be submitted by each university, in either track, is not limited. However, incomplete applications and applications that do not meet the eligibility criteria will be returned without review.
Applicants in the PhD track may apply for one (1) of the following:
- A three-year grant to undertake and complete a PhD degree;
- A one- or two-year grant for completion of the PhD degree, if the degree is in progress;
- A six (6) month grant for completion of a PhD degree, if the degree is near completion; or
- A three-year grant to spend at least one (1) year completing the PhD degree and the remaining period undertaking Post-PhD research training.
- Applicants in the Post-PhD track may apply for a one- or two-year grant to undertake a period of Post-PhD research training that must include a period of research training at an international university or research institution outside of South Africa or, in industry either in South Africa or abroad.
Eligibility
The following general eligibility criteria apply to all applicants:
- Applicants must be Black, South African citizens or South African citizens with a disability;
- Applicants must hold a permanent, full-time academic appointment at one of the 26 public universities in South Africa, or a fixed-term appointment that extends for thefull grant period plus one additional year.
- Applicants must not have received or hold a valid NRF A, B, C, or P rating at thetime of commencement of the programme. Should an NRF Evaluation and Ratingapplication and the BAAP application be submitted simultaneously and both are successful, then the BAAP grant will not be awarded.
- This grant may not be held concurrently with a Thuthuka Grant. In cases where the BAAP and Thuthuka applications are submitted simultaneously and both are successful, then the Thuthuka grant will not be awarded.
- New Generation Academics Programme (nGAP) scholars are excluded from applying to this Call.
Benefits
The grant is intended to fund three (3) distinct budget categories:
Running Expenses to a maximum value of one hundred thousand rand (R100 000) per year.
Please note that Running Expenses for applicants requesting a BAAP grant for six (6) months is limited to a maximum of fifty thousand rand (R50 000).
Running expenses must be motivated for in detail and may include projected costs for the budget line items listed below:
- Materials and Supplies;
- – Includes costs for editing of PhD thesis
– Includes costs to attend a workshop - International Conferences (travel and subsistence) includes airfare and accommodation;
- Local Conference (travel and subsistence) includes airfare and accommodation;
- Local Travel (travel and subsistence) includes airfare and accommodation;
- Research Equipment;
- Science Engagement; and
- Research/Technical/Ad Hoc Assistants.
For More Information:
Visit the Official Webpage of the Black Academics Advancement Programme (BAAP) 2022