Page 36 - SAMRC AnnualReport 2025-26

DEVIATION
ACTUAL FROM PLANNED
AUDITED AUDITED ACHIEVEMENT TARGET TO
ACTUAL ACTUAL PLANNED 2025/2026 ACTUAL
PERFORMANCE PERFORMANCE ANNUAL TARGET UNTIL DATE OF ACHIEVEMENT
OUTCOME OUTPUT OUTPUT INDICATOR 2023/24 2024/25 2025/2026 RE-TABLING 2025/2026 REASONS FOR DEVIATIONS
Programme 4: Building sustainable health research human capacity in South Africa* continued

Full or partial awards 4.1.4 Number of SAMRC 68 71 35 91 56 The performance reflects focused efforts to strengthen inclusion
(scholarships, career and capacity of historically disadvantaged and under-resourced institutions
fellowships and grants) development awards through targeted resource allocation and improved processes.
funded by the SAMRC to all recipients for This aligns with SAMRC’s transformation agenda to expand
to all recipients for Masters’, PhDs, Postdocs, capacity development opportunities at these institutions.
Masters, PhD, Postdocs, Early-Career and Targeted engagement with HDIs has increased participation in
Early-Career and Mid-Career Scientists our RFAs. The original target did not anticipate the availability
Mid-Career Scientists at the historically of additional resources and increased participation from these
from historically disadvantaged and institutions.
disadvantaged and under-resourced
under-resourced institutions
institutions
Masters’ and PhD 4.1.5 Number of Masters’ 120 113 50 117 67 The performance was driven by increased investment in student
students graduated or and PhD students funding and strengthened supervision capacity by SAMRC
completed graduated or completed researchers, which enabled more Masters’ and PhD candidates to
complete their studies than initially planned. The original target
did not anticipate this expanded level of support and throughput.

Programme 5: Research Translation into policy and practice to improve health
5.1 To facilitate the Policies, reports 5.1.1. Number of policies, 231 304 50 331 281 The performance was driven by SAMRC's strong reputation
translation of health and guidelines that reports and guidelines as a leading science council, resulting in increased demand
research reference SAMRC that reference SAMRC for its researchers’ expertise in informing health-related
research research policies, reports, and guidelines. This heightened engagement
contributed to a significant rise in references to SAMRC research.
The original target did not anticipate this level of demand and
influence, which reflects SAMRC’s growing impact in translating
research into policy and practice.
Reports and guidelines 5.1.2. Number of reports and 41 66 35 81 46 The performance was driven by SAMRC's strong reputation
(co)produced by the guidelines (co)produced as a leading science council, with its researchers actively
SAMRC intramural by the SAMRC intramural engaged in producing reports and guidelines. This resulted
researchers researchers in more outputs than initially planned. The original target did
not anticipate this level of involvement, which reflects SAMRC’s
important role in translating research into policy and practice
through these contributions.
SAMRC researchers 5.1.3. Number of national or 202 266 140 271 131 The performance reflects the recognition of SAMRC staff as
and research support international bodies/ trusted contributors and active participants in advancing research
employees serving committees that SAMRC and its application. The original target did not anticipate this level
on national and researchers and research of engagement, which highlights SAMRC’s role in supporting
international bodies/ support employees research translation, broader scientific collaboration and
committees serve on global impact.
SAMRC supported 5.1.4. Number of conferences, 92 175 50 147 97 The performance was driven by increased support and hosting of
conferences, seminars, webinars and conferences, seminars, webinars, and CPD workshops, exceeding
seminar, webinars continuing development initial projections. This reflects SAMRC’s active role in advancing
and Continuing points workshops research translation through strengthened knowledge transfer
Development Points supported by the and sharing platforms.
(CPD) workshops SAMRC

* As agreed with NDOH, SAMRC APP 2025/2026 was not re-tabled.

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