Research Output Repository (HSRC)
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Unlocking the potential of rural women to tackle climate crisis and food security
No full textHSRC Policy Brief, OctoberThe climate crisis is a critical global challenge, and unlocking the potential of rural women is an indispensable strategy to address it. Rural women are often at the forefront of agricultural production, disaster prevention and food security, yet they are disproportionately affected by climate change and face significant barriers to adapting to its impacts. By recognising rural women, not just as vulnerable beneficiaries but as powerful agents of change, and by systematically addressing the barriers they face, we can unlock their immense potential to build more resilient rural communities, alleviate disaster risks, and ensure food security for all
Towards developing a collaborative PhD program across ARUA member universities: experiences from Universitie Cheikh Anta Diop, Senegal
No full textCommissioned by the African Research Universities Alliance (ATUA), AugustThis report highlights the status of PhD education in Senegal, using the University Cheikh Anta Diop (UCAD) as a case study. The report provides an overview of Senegal's socio-economic status, which has a bearing on how universities tend to organize PhD programmes, and which may influence the direction and/or design of collaborative programmes as envisaged by ARUA. The report details the national and institutional policy and operational frameworks for PhD programmes in Senegal and explores the nature of student access and progression policies across the programmes, to finally consider opportunities for designing collaborative
arrangements and challenges that need to be addressed. The report is divided into five sections. The foreword is the first section. The proceeding section provides an overview of Ethiopia's socio-economic and political dynamics while section three provides a brief description of the Ethiopian higher education landscape. Section
four delves into the case study university and the two selected programmes and presents findings from the collected data from the two case study programmes. Section five is a bestpractice case study programme while the ultimate, section six provides some recommendations and conclusion.N/
Creative destruction or just a reshuffle? why business turnover in South Africa has not sparked growth
No full textHSRC Policy Brief, JulyThe entry and exit of businesses generally signify healthy competition and economic vitality. In theory, new entrants introduce fresh ideas, products, and techniques that spur economic modernization, diversification and sustainable employment creation. This is the idea behind Jospeh Schumpeter’s concept of ‘creative destruction’, in which firms must continually reinvent themselves to remain profitable, often at the cost of jobs, products, and industries that become obsolete and disappear. Lack of churn can cause economies to ossify and stagnate.
The World Bank’s recent diagnostic report points to precisely this problem in South Africa. It states that too few new firms have been created and too many old firms have survived when they should have folded
Dialogues on decolonizing the university: racialized gender transnational learning
No full textThere is no systematic coverage of the racialisation of the planet. This series is the first attempt to present a comprehensive mapping of global racisms, providing a way in which to understand global racialisation and acknowledge the multiple generations of different racial logics across regimes and regions. Unique in its intellectual agenda and innovative in producing a new empirically-based theoretical framework for understanding this glocalised phenomenon, Mapping Global Racisms considers racism in many underexplored regions such as Russia, Arab racisms in North African and Middle Eastern contexts, and racism in Pacific countries such as Japan, Hawaii, Fiji and Samoa.
University lecturer strategy use to introduce and explain STEM terminology in EMI contexts: an exploratory comparative study of China, Turkey, South Africa and Nepal
No full textCollaboration between HSRC, University of Bath, United Kingdom and the British CouncilThis study investigates the strategies and interactional patterns used by university lecturers in teaching STEM terminology within English Medium Instruction (EMI) contexts across four diverse countries: China, Turkey, South Africa and Nepal. Findings reveal a complex interplay of pre-planned and unplanned strategies, such as giving definitions, examples, and spontaneous comments, tailored to enhance understanding and engagement in the unique educational contexts of each institution. The interactional patterns were predominantly characterized by teacher-initiated interactions, with limited student-initiated interactions and teacher-student dialogues. Gender-based variations were also observed, particularly in Turkey and China, reflecting differences in the frequency and type of strategies employed by male and female lecturers. Interview findings showed that lecturers generally believe their gender does not directly influence their teaching methods or vocabulary explanation styles. Lecturers also reported striving to avoid gender bias in their teaching, treating all students as individuals with unique potentials. Both male and female lecturers frequently use paraphrasing and definitions to clarify complex concepts and ensure student understanding. Specific country variations, such as a greater use of unplanned interactions by Chinese EMI lecturers, further underscore the nuanced nature of EMI in STEM education. Key findings include the frequent use of native language equivalence for introducing terminology and the infrequent use of strategies, such as providing grammatical forms and synonyms. This study not only highlights the lecturer-led nature of interactions but also contributes valuable insights into the global STEM education landscape, emphasizing the need for gender-sensitive and contextually adapted teaching strategies to effectively convey specialized STEM terminology in diverse EMI settings.N/
Science engagement projects: Talent Development Programme phase 3 report
No full textCommissioned by the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation, JulyThis report presents the findings from the tracking of the participants of the third phase of the Talent Development Programme (TDP), a key initiative by the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI) aimed at nurturing young talent in mathematics and science and guiding them toward careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). Implemented between 2017 and 2023, Phase 3 of the TDP supported learners in Grades 11 and 12, and this report tracks their educational and career pathways in 2024. Drawing on survey responses from over 660 participants, the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) assesses the impact of the programme on participants’ tertiary education experiences, post-school activities, and life outcomes. The report provides critical insights into the successes and ongoing challenges faced by TDP alumni and offers evidence-based recommendations to strengthen STEM education and youth development in South Africa.N/
Does moving between cities pay off?: economic outcomes for South Africa's intercity migrants
No full textCities attract talent and innovation, driving growth through agglomeration economies. In African cities, the focus has been on rural to urban migration, overlooking intercity labour migration. This study examines the impact of intercity labour migration on household income, employment, and wages in South Africa, a country with significant income disparities and high urbanization rates. Using longitudinal data from the National Income Dynamics Study (NIDS) from 2008 to 2017, we compare economic outcomes for urban adults who relocate to
new cities with those who stay put. Employing various econometric techniques to control for selection bias and
simultaneity, the results show a positive impact on income and employment for those moving between urban areas. Notably, upward mobility is not dependent on skill level or moving to larger metros. These findings highlight the importance of understanding urban worker flows and the broader urban system beyond the rural-urban dichotomy.
Tackling rural water scarcity in South Africa: climate change, governance, and sustainability pathways
No full textWater scarcity in rural South Africa is an escalating crisis driven by climate change, governance inefficiencies, and socio-economic disparities. This perspective synthesizes secondary data through the Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) and Socio-Ecological Systems (SES) frameworks, offering a novel lens that bridges macro-policy failures with micro-community resilience, unlike single-framework analyses. Drawing on existing case studies, including Cape Town’s “Day Zero” drought and the Greater Giyani Municipality, we highlight both current advances, such as smart metering, rainwater harvesting, and decentralized purification systems, and persistent vulnerabilities, including erratic rainfall, declining dam levels, and under-resourced infrastructure. The IWRM lens exposes gaps in institutional coordination, policy enforcement, and infrastructure investment that undermine equitable water distribution. The SES perspective reveals how rural communities navigate scarcity through informal networks, traditional knowledge, and local adaptation strategies, but also illustrates the limitations of these responses in the absence of state support. We argue that neither top-down governance nor grassroots innovation alone can achieve water security. Instead, sustainable solutions require hybrid, multi-scalar strategies that align regulatory reforms with community-driven resilience. Future efforts must prioritize adaptive infrastructure, context-sensitive technologies, and inclusive governance frameworks to build climate-resilient and equitable rural water systems. South Africa’s experience offers instructive lessons for global water governance, demonstrating the need for holistic, systems-based approaches that integrate technical, social, and institutional dimensions. This perspective contributes to a strategic framing for future policy and research aimed at ensuring long-term water security and sustainability in vulnerable contexts.
Unequal realities: women’s diverse experiences of science and technology in South Africa
No full textSignificant strides have been made through national policies and targeted programmes to promote women’s participation in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) in South Africa. The Department of Science, Technology and Innovation’s (DSTI) Science Engagement Strategy serves as a national framework to coordinate initiatives that spark public appreciation for the role of science and technology in driving a knowledge-based economy and improving quality of life for all. The National Development Plan 2030, the White Paper on Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) and the STI Decadal Plan all highlight the importance of advancing economic development and ensuring the equitable inclusion of women.N/
