About the Research and Innovation Department

Organizational Structure

The overall management and promotion of research at the University of Venda  is the responsibility of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor Academic . He or she discharges this responsibility through the Director of Research and Innovation, the school Deans and the Research and Publication Committee, which is a committee of Senate.

Structure of the Research and Innovation Department Management

Notes on the Structure: Membership of Committees

Senate’s Research and Publications Committee

• Deputy Vice Chancellor Academic: Chairperson
• Deputy Registrar
• Director of Research and Innovation
• Director of Library Services
• Deans
• One Representative per school  at the level of Senior Lecturer or Professor

School’s Research and Publications Committee

• Dean (Convenor)
• Two Representatives of the School Executive Board
• Two Senior Lecturers
• Two Professors
• One Lecturer
• One Junior lecturer

The current administrative structure of the Research and Innovation Directorate is as follows The Director reports to the DVC Academic and is supported by the Research Administrator and Executive Secretary.  The Directorate of Research and Innovation is responsible for the administrative function for all research related matters: capacity building, research output, collaboration /partnerships and resource mobilization. 

In order to facilitate support and ensure a quality standard in research the Directorate is supported by the following Committees:

• University Research and Publications Committee (RPC)
• School Research and Publications Committees
• School Higher Degrees Committees
• Community Engagement Committee
• Centre for Rural development and Poverty Alleviation

The Directorate is a unit within the Academic division along with community engagement directorate, Library services, Schools and Center for Higher Education Teaching and Learning. This arrangement facilitates coherence in the implementation of the core business of the University.

Furthermore, the director is a member of all Senate committees. The directorate is responsible for the implementation of research and innovation policy, for resource allocation and to assist and support researchers with external resource mobilization. The Director is responsible for strategic issues such as focusing more on policy and advocacy, interact with high level policy makers and government officials /stakeholders, be ambassador and stimulate information flow between Univen researchers and research partners and funders (provincially, nationally and internationally).  The administrative structure for the directorate will be strengthened to fulfill functions for postgraduate research support, project writing technical expertise for various organizations, research linkages and provision of information, and other support that researchers need.