UNESCO - UNISA Africa Chair in nanoscience and nanotechnology

Targeted activities and beneficiaries

Targeted activities and beneficiaries

  • Implementation of ACCENTS, the African Centre of Competencies in Enhanced Nanosciences & Nanotechnologies for the SDGs (the Chair's R&D-translation wing),
  • Implementation of FSTA – Frontiers Sciences & Technologies for Africa, a triennial multi-stakeholder science–policy–industry convening (next edition FSTA-2027),
  • Establishment of Nano-Horizons, an open-access journal under the patronage of the Royal Society (UK), ScienceOpen International and UNISA Press,
  • Conduct of research & development in the Water–Food–Health–Energy nexus addressing urgent African societal needs,
  • Embarking on intellectual property, patenting and entrepreneurship through the UNISA Innovation & Commercialisation Directorate,
  • Leadership of multilateral funding programmes as Principal Investigator (e.g. the Belmont Forum with NRF, ANR, and FAPESP),
  • Fundraising from international agencies to sustain the Chair's programmes,
  • Mentorship of postdoctoral fellows and emerging young scientists towards NRF ratings,
  • Hosting of international visiting scientists and policy makers at UNISA,
  • Co-organisation of hands-on training workshops for U2ACN2 fellows,
  • South–South recruitment of international associate fellows from across the global South,
  • Alignment of all research with the VC Catalytic Niche Areas and the UN Sustainable Development Goals,
  • Contribution to UNISA's international ranking through high citation impact (top 2% highly cited scientists worldwide).

Last modified: 2026/07/07