University of Limpopo researchers and officials celebrate the awarding of NRF Decadal Plan-Aligned Research Chairs, marking a significant milestone in advancing impactful, solution-driven research. Photos : Lebohang Mathaba
Newly awarded NRF Research Chairs position the University of Limpopo at the forefront of solution-driven research addressing health, energy and heritage challenges
” We have moved beyond simply building a research culture in isolated pockets. Our focus has shifted squarely towards science that solves real-world problems.”
By Malatji Monyelegwete- malatji.monyelegwete@ul.ac.za
The University of Limpopo (UL) has secured three prestigious Research Chairs under the National Research Foundation(NRF) Decadal Plan-Aligned Research Chairs programme, with two additional chairs expected to be approved in the coming weeks
This achievement marks a significant step in the institution’s transformation from a low research-output university into a key player in South Africa’s innovation landscape.
The Decadal Plan-Aligned Research Chairs form part of a targeted programme supporting Historically Disadvantaged Institutions (HDIs), Universities of Technology (UoTs), and emerging universities. The South African Research Chairs Initiative (SARChI), established in 2006 by the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI), aims to attract and retain research excellence at public universities through long-term funding that can extend up to 15 years.
The Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Blade Nzimande, officially launches a new cohort of 41 Research Chairs supporting Historically Disadvantaged Institutions (HDIs), Universities of Technology (UoTs) and emerging universities, where the University of Limpopo secured three Research Chairs
On 16 April 2026, the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr Blade Nzimande, officially launched a new cohort of 41 Research Chairs in Pretoria. At the event, UL was awarded chairs in three strategic areas:
- Prevention, Control and Management of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) – awarded to Professor Tebogo Mothiba
- Liberation Heritage and Politics – hosted by Professor Kgothatso Shai
- Computational Modelling of Energy Materials – awarded to Professor Phuti Ngoepe
Two additional Research Chairs are in the final stages of approval and, once confirmed, will bring UL’s total to ten.
Speaking on the sidelines of the NRF launch, Dr Thembinkosi Mabila, Director of the Department of Research Administration and Development at UL, said the university has moved beyond building a research culture in isolation and is now firmly focused on impact-driven science.
“Our university has emerged as a major player in South Africa’s research and innovation landscape, shedding its former status as a low-output institution in a transformation I would liken to the metamorphosis of a caterpillar into a butterfly,” he said.
“Just as a butterfly emerges from egg to larva to chrysalis before taking flight as a vibrant, resilient pollinator, so too has UL transformed. We have moved beyond simply building a research culture in isolated pockets. Our focus has shifted squarely towards science that solves real-world problems.”
He added that the newly awarded Research Chairs are central to this shift, enabling the University to drive high-quality research into pressing societal challenges, including non-communicable diseases, energy security, and the historical significance of Limpopo as a key theatre of South Africa’s liberation struggle.
“As a university, we are cementing our position as a pivotal node for science-generated solutions, impact and social value for our communities. This development marks a decisive break from our past, with empirical and innovative solutions now taking centre stage in our research agenda,” he said.
Dr Mabila emphasised that the milestone reflects UL’s ongoing commitment to producing impactful, solution-oriented research that addresses societal challenges while contributing meaningfully to Africa’s development agenda.