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Research Dashboard
National Research
Foundation Evaluation
and Rating
The National Research Foundation’s rating system is an international benchmarking tool used to assess the quality of
research. The system contributes to the building of a globally competitive science system in South Africa and encourages
rated researchers to impart their skills to the next generation of researchers through supervision and collaboration.
World-leading expertise
UCT was awarded four new A ratings in 2012, to
professors Harold Kincaid and Don Ross (Commerce)
and professors Heribert Weigert (Physics) and Jack van
Honk (Health Sciences). The A ratings of professors Igor
Barashenkov (Mathematics and Applied Mathematics),
Clifford Shearing (Criminal Justice), Lionel Opie
(Medicine), Doug Butterworth (Mathematics and Applied
Mathematics), John de Gruchy (Religious Studies),
Gerd Gäde (Zoology), and Dan Stein (Psychiatry and
Description of NRF rating categories
A
World leaders renowned for the high quality and
impact of their research.
B
Researchers with considerable international stature.
C
Established researchers who produce research of
an international standard.
P
Young researchers (within five years from PhD)
who are recognised internationally as having the
potential to become future leaders in their field.
Y
Young researchers (within five years from PhD) who
show promise of becoming established researchers
within a five-year period after evaluation.
L
Late entrants into research (this category is being
phased out by the NRF).
A B C P Y L
400
350
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Figure 4: Number of NRF-rated researchers at UCT, 2008–2012
Mental Health), and Distinguished Professor Philippe-
Joseph Salazar (Rhetoric Studies), were renewed on
re-evaluation.
Recognising future leaders
The NRF annually awards P ratings to young researchers
who demonstrate the potential to become future leaders
in their research field. Structural geologist Dr Åke
Fagereng and particle physicist Dr Andrew Hamilton
were the recipients of new P ratings in 2012.