Page 192 - SAMRC AnnualReport 2025-26

RCD Scholarships Portfolio Research capacity development is essential for
closing the evidence-practice gap and supports
The scholarships portfolio at RCD includes six high-quality, cost-effective healthcare as well as
main programmes. During this reporting period, a well-prepared healthcare workforce. The RCD
RCD also supported the management of several scholarship programmes therefore aim to enhance
scholarship programmes run by various SAMRC and transform health research capacity in South
units, including the Chan Soon-Shiong Family Africa, aligning with the broader goal of producing
Foundation Scholarship Programme hosted by high-quality research that advances scientific
GIPD, which aims to develop biomanufacturing knowledge, clinical care, and evidence-based public
capacity in Africa; the Biostatistics MSc Scholarships policies. In 2025/2026, RCD supported 129 scholars:
95 (74%) PhD and 34 (26%) MSc scholarships, of
hosted by GHRU, intended to improve statistical which 70% were awarded to female candidates and
modelling skills among women researchers and 69% to Black candidates (African, Coloured, and
students; and the PhD Nodal SAPRIN Fellowships Indian). The distribution of scholarships by gender,
(SAPRIN), which seeks to enhance knowledge and ethnic group, and institution for 2025/2026 are
build capacity within SAPRIN nodes. shown in the figure below.

DISTRIBUTION OF SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS BY
SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS BY GENDER (2025/2026)
INSTITUTION (2025/2026)

SU 32

UCT 24
30% 70%
WITS 17

UWC 16
UP 12

FEMALE MALE
UKZN 8
SMU 7

UL 3

SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS BY
NWU 2
ETHNIC GROUP (2025/2026)
UNIVEN 2

EU 1

31%
RHODES 1
53%
TUT 1
9%
UFH 1
7%
UJ 1

WSU 1 AFRICAN COLOURED INDIAN WHITE

Distribution of SAMRC scholarships by gender, ethnic group and institution in 2025/2026

190 SA M R C A N N U A L R EP O R T 2 0 2 5 / 2 0 2 6