NATIONAL RESEARCH FOUNDATION

Their core work

South Africa's National Research Foundation is the country's primary agency for funding and managing research infrastructure and international science cooperation. In H2020, NRF acts as Africa's gateway for EU-Africa research partnerships, particularly in food security, climate adaptation, ocean science, and large-scale research infrastructures like the Square Kilometre Array (SKA). They bridge African research communities with European consortia, bringing continent-specific knowledge on agriculture, climate resilience, and responsible research governance to international collaborations.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

NRF's early H2020 engagement (2015–2017) centered on large research infrastructure — particularly the SKA radio telescope and science communication/public engagement initiatives. From 2018 onward, the focus shifted decisively toward EU-Africa policy partnerships in food security, ocean research, responsible innovation governance, and renewable energy. This reflects a maturation from infrastructure-building to sustained, thematic research cooperation frameworks between continents.

NRF is moving from infrastructure participation toward anchoring long-term EU-Africa thematic research agendas, especially in food systems and climate resilience — making them increasingly valuable as a Southern Hemisphere bridge partner.

How they like to work

NRF never coordinates H2020 projects but participates consistently across large, multi-country consortia — their 259 unique partners across 55 countries reflect an exceptionally broad network for an African public body. They typically contribute regional expertise, access to African research communities, and policy coordination rather than leading technical work packages. This makes them a reliable, low-friction partner for consortia needing genuine African representation and research linkages.

NRF has collaborated with 259 unique partners across 55 countries, making them one of the most internationally connected African organizations in H2020. Their network spans Europe, sub-Saharan Africa, and the Americas, with particular density in EU-Africa cooperation frameworks.

What sets them apart

NRF is one of very few African public bodies with deep, sustained participation in H2020, making them an essential partner for any consortium requiring genuine Africa engagement rather than token representation. Their dual strength in hard research infrastructure (SKA) and soft policy cooperation (food security, RRI, climate) means they can contribute across both technical and governance dimensions. For European consortia targeting EU-AU partnership calls, NRF brings institutional credibility, existing networks across the continent, and a track record of delivering on coordination support actions.

Highlights from their portfolio

• IN-SKA
  By far NRF's largest H2020 project (EUR 2.25M) — detailed infrastructure design for the Square Kilometre Array, the world's largest radio telescope being built partly in South Africa.
• LEAP-AGRI
  Flagship EU-Africa ERA-NET on food and nutrition security (EUR 306K to NRF), establishing long-term joint research funding mechanisms between the two continents.
• iAtlantic
  Major integrated assessment of Atlantic marine ecosystems spanning deep-sea to coastal, positioning NRF in ocean science alongside predominantly European marine research institutes.