As the academic year draws to a close, Stellenbosch University (SU) hosted its annual Research and Innovation Awards on October 31, shining a spotlight on the institution’s most accomplished academics and researchers. The prestigious gala, held at the Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Study (STIAS), celebrated excellence across a wide array of categories, including postgraduate achievements, early career research, established scholars, women in research, newly A-rated researchers, and exceptional postgraduate supervision.
In addition to the university’s accolades, The Conversation Africa, a nonprofit media organization dedicated to academic-driven journalism, presented three awards to SU staff members for outstanding public engagement and research dissemination.
Celebrating Research Impact
In her opening remarks, Prof. Sibusiso Moyo, SU’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research, Innovation, and Postgraduate Studies, emphasized the vital role of impactful research in advancing both the university’s mission and its contributions to society. “Our commitment to the pursuit of knowledge, research, and innovation is driven by our shared purpose to address South Africa’s pressing challenges—unemployment, poverty, and inequality,” Moyo said.
Prof. Moyo also highlighted Stellenbosch University’s aspiration to lead as Africa’s premier research-intensive institution, globally recognized for excellence, inclusivity, and innovation. Among the achievements celebrated was the awarding of the prestigious Templeton Prize to Prof. Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela for her groundbreaking work on historical trauma and reparative justice. Prof. Gobodo-Madikizela and her team at the Centre for the Study of the Afterlife of Violence and Reparative Quest (AVReQ) were further honored with the Vice-Chancellor’s and Deputy Vice-Chancellor’s Special Recognition Award for 2024.
A Legacy of Excellence
Rector and Vice-Chancellor Prof. Wim de Villiers commended SU’s academic community for their exceptional contributions, reinforcing the university’s position among South Africa’s top three research-intensive institutions. Highlighting the institution’s growing prominence, he noted that SU now boasts 505 researchers rated by the National Research Foundation (NRF), including 21 esteemed A-rated scholars, and supports 345 postdoctoral fellows.
“Your hard work and determination elevate Stellenbosch University, empowering us to transform lives through knowledge,” De Villiers remarked, adding his optimism for the future endeavours of the award recipients.
Visionary Leadership
In his closing remarks, Prof. Deresh Ramjugernath, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Teaching and Learning and incoming Rector and Vice-Chancellor, lauded the awardees’ role in shaping SU into a continental research powerhouse. “Over the past decade, Stellenbosch University has made remarkable strides in becoming a research-intensive institution,” Ramjugernath said. “This achievement is the result of deliberate leadership and an unwavering commitment to excellence.”
As SU celebrates another year of groundbreaking research and innovation, the awards reflect the university’s dedication to advancing knowledge that addresses global challenges while fostering inclusivity and transformation in South Africa and beyond.