Up to R1 billion available for UK-SA research partnerships

United Kingdom South Africa

“We need to come together to share expertise and experience, which is why we are grateful for the close partnership we have with the Department of Science and Innovation and Minister Nzimande himself and all the partners here tonight. We look forward to continuing to work together, to amplify the impacts of our science partnerships together over the months and years ahead.”

Researchers and scientists from the UK and South Africa have worked together for many decades to tackle some of the world’s most pressing challenges, developing impactful products such as weather warning systems to provide South African communities with the information they need to respond appropriately, helping to protect livelihoods and save lives.

This new investment will further strengthen the UK and South Africa’s research partnerships and networks that have been nurtured over the years. It will address the growing burden of non-communicable diseases by connecting experts in the UK and South Africa through our countries’ Medical Research Councils, harnessing medical innovation, and building regional capacity to tackle shared health priorities.

To tackle unemployment and boost economic growth, it will nurture tomorrow’s talent by building and sustaining a talented and skilled cohort of early-career researchers. It will catalyse partnerships between universities, large companies, SMEs and startups to address sustainable development goals, for example through the Royal Academy of Engineering’s Transforming Systems through Partnerships programme and the Leaders in Innovation Fellowships (LIF) programme working alongside South Africa’s Technology Innovation Agency (TIA).

It will help us to better understand and address the impacts of climate change, including better monitoring and prediction of extreme weather events, by continuing joint initiatives such as the UK-South Africa Weather and Climate Science for Service Partnership (WCSSP).

Crucially, it will support the development of robust research and innovation systems across South Africa with the aim of driving economic development and prosperity.

Our Science and Technology partnership with?South Africa?is long-standing, and continues to grow and create lasting global and local impact.

During the State Visit in November 2022, the UK and SA signed a new Science, Technology, Research and Innovation Memorandum of Understanding agreeing further collaboration in research and innovation in our mutual priority sectors of emerging technology (including AI), agriculture technology, health, oceans, climate and energy, and space.

This new funding consolidates the UK’s continued commitment to work in partnership with South Africa to deliver our mutually agreed priorities and address global, regional, and local challenges.

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SOURCE British High Commission Pretoria