Page 194 - SAMRC AnnualReport 2025-26

RCD Grant Portfolio

The aim of the RCD grant programmes is to provide opportunities to accelerate and support early- and mid-
career scientists in becoming independent research leaders. The distribution of grants and career awards by
gender, ethnic group, and institution for 2025/2026 is illustrated in the figure below.

RCD GRANT AWARDS BY RCD GRANT BENEFICIARIES BY
INSTITUTION (2025/2026) ETHNIC GROUP (2025/2026)
1% 1%
UKZN 1
TUT 1 6%
9%
NMU 1
16% 67%
AHRI 1

UP 2
UJ 2

NWU 2 AFRICAN WHITE COLOURED
INDIAN ASIAN ARABIC
CPUT 3

WITS 4
SU 4
RCD GRANT AWARDS BY
UCT 5 GENDER (2025/2026)

WSU 6
UNIZULU 8
UNIVEN 8

UWC 8 38% 62%

UFH 8
SMU 8

UL 9
SAMRC 16 FEMALE MALE

Distribution of beneficiaries holding RCD Grant Programme awards
in 2025/2026 by institution, gender, and ethnic group.

During the 2025/2026 financial year, the RCD Grant enrolled its third group of 6 fellows in 2025/2026.
Portfolio held four calls for applications, leading to Additionally, 3 new fellows were awarded under the
an overall intake of 30 new beneficiaries, including a SAMRC Intramural Postdoctoral Programme.
new cohort of 21 PIs under the RCDI programme at
historically disadvantaged universities (UL, UNIVEN, There has been ongoing focus on transformation,
UNIZULU, and UFH). After a successful pilot, the including capacity building in HDIs and other
SAMRC Extramural Postdoctoral Programme under-resourced institutions, with 60 (62%) of

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