2020/2021 Annual Research & Innovation Report

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY We have come to the end of our 2016-2020 IOP. Achievements for the university across the years in the area of research and innovation has been significant. I will use the opportunity to reflect on the IOP period and specific outputs during 2020 are reflected in the report. In 2016, as a collective with the Deputy Deans of Research the then first DVC: Research and Innovation, Prof. Frans Swanepoel introduced the research strategy 2016-2020. Figure 1 illustrates the Research Strategy that guided the implementation plan of interventions for outcomes over the next 5 years.

A: ESTABLISHING THE UWC AS A LEADING UNIVERSITY The Institution strives to become known for producing research that has local relevance and global impact. During the initial part of my term, the central question I challenged the university community to grapple with was: “How do we make research count?” I focused on developing a culture in which we moved from describing research outcomes in terms of challenges, toward effective knowledge translation that indicated or contributed to relevant solutions. Similarly, I challenged the research community to develop an intentional awareness of and engagement with the link between our research foci, underlying values and that for which we want to be renowned. This will help the outside world relate to our autonomous position and value our contribution through our research and postgraduate offering. Developing a model that allows all stakeholders to take ownership, including our researchers, our administrators and the communities we wish to impact upon, became a key sub-strategy towards a contextually sensitive and relevant public image and a strong, attractive research focus and contribution (Pages 44-61 COVID research and SDG Research). This capacity building approach was applied at all levels to ensure that we identified, established, developed and strengthened emerging niche areas. By extension, this meant that capacitation of established researchers and emerging researchers was critically important (Page 34-43).

The UWC developed strong niche areas in each faculty that Deans review in their annual reports. Faculties identified research hubs and focus areas that were supported to become niche areas as part of the strategic vision of the respective Deans supported by the Deputy Deans of Research. Similarly, the strategic application for SARCHi Chairs and subsequent appointments helped to solidify the research productivity of the university. Through my office the Faculties and Research Chairs are supported to maintain and develop the niche areas and we are continuing to support our established researchers and research centres was key to the success of the university.