1. Challenges Faced by Institutions Related to Student Support 10 october 2017
Mr Karan Naidoo

2. Honours funding
Honours process for awarding block grants was a challenge due to:
Lack of communication related to the new process,
How it will work? and
What is required from DA’s when processing applications?
Eg, institutions were informed to submit all eligible applications to NRF whilst the call document stated differently i.e. “Institutions will recommend students for a bursary award on the NRF Online Submission System, based on the Block Grant allocation to each institution and set equity targets.”
Delay in processing of block grant nominations and release of outcomes:
Challenges to negotiate ways in allowing students to register before the institutional deadline with no outcomes communicated by NRF → loss of potential students and income.
 Possible Solutions:
Frequent communication between NRF and stakeholders → crucial when a new system or process is introduced.
Institutions should be allocated the award letter under the block grant by the end of October.
This requires an in-house addressing by institutions.

3. Flaw in the assessment of applications: category “career path” on the Scorecard
i.e. if a student indicated that they intend pursuing a Master’s degree in 2018, they would get a score of 4/4. Is this a legitimate criterion and, if NRF considers it fair, how will NRF monitor whether the student who received this score based on his/her response will actually pursue a master’s degree the following year?
Transfer of awards from one institution to another
Clarity is required for the transfer of awards from one university to another considering that institutions have their own internal deadline dates for applications and allocations can be used up before an “incoming” student is considered for a block grant.
Honours block grants received, was considerably less
Institutions have more than 50% of their undergraduate students funded by NSFAS→ these students meet the criteria for an Honours NSFAS block grant but cannot be funded due to the limited number of awards allocated to the institution.
Exclusion of four year undergraduate programmes – 4th year of study.
This has raised serious concerns with institutions which have mainly four year undergraduate programmes while BTech students are considered.
Possible Solutions:
Revise the scorecard to reflect the worthiness of a student being nominated or revert to the old process of allocating block grants to institutions.
Create 3 surplus ‘transfer block grants’ per institution which will allow for NRF to consider making such provision. Should the surplus awards not be taken up by a certain date, the allocations should be redistributed.
Increase the number of awards or decrease the current value of the NSFAS scholarship to accommodate more students.
NRF must re-consider the final year of a 4 year programme as honours study.

4. MASTERS & PHD funding FISS call for M&D students
Students applying for their first year of Masters funding, find it a challenge to complete the details of the research section → call opens early in the year
Some supervisors are helpful in assisting their students with project details, while many supervisors do not or are unable to for the following reasons:
Timing of the call is during the recess period.
Academics are attending overseas conferences during this time, or are on leave or are still busy with examination marking → struggle to get supervisors to respond as referees.
Appointment of supervisors only takes place later in the year for new students.
Academics are reluctant to be responsible for assisting students with new projects as they also feel that the success rate is low.
Possible Solutions:
The call for M & D students should open towards the end of the year.
Masters awards should given as a Block Grant (No flexibility on supervisor).
Institutions should host workshops to allow prospective students to engage in discussions with potential supervisors for projects.

5. Late Allocation of Block Grants ( Additional /Initial Awards)
Annual challenge for the Research Office/Funding Office to nominate students (that meet NRF criteria) for bursaries/scholarships so late in the year (Sept/October). Students that have applied for funding, but were not successful, either did not register or have secured other funding (SET SECTOR TO BE LOOKED INTO).
Initial award should be proposed in Oct the previous year.
NRF online submission system should not allow the student to submit the application without completing or uploading compulsory sections
This year the system allowed students to submit without attaching documents.
No requirement of SAQA certification for international students in NRF call documents and guidelines
The call documents this year did not have SAQA certification as a compulsory requirement resulting in continuous e- mail engagements with students regarding inclusion of SAQA on their applications
Possible Solutions:
Students that have completed their previous degree should take up the award earlier than June, so that NRF has a better idea of their unspent funds and additional block grants can be awarded to institutions much sooner.(Early July )
In the case of students that are awaiting results from examiners, a request for a deferment of the award can be submitted (via the Research Office/Funding Office) for the NRF to award a semester bursary/scholarship.
NRF to relook at the online submission system to put in better control measures for applications.
The NRF should have SAQA certification as a compulsory requirement for international applications.

6. Extension Call for M&D students:
Concerns from institutions, was not to have the Extension Call so early→ discussed at RAW 2016.
This year again, the Extension Call was opened very early in the year (May 2017).
Having a Call early is not realistic
Students that are on target to complete their studies by the end of the year, submit an application “to be on the safe side” should anything occur during the course of the year that prevents them from completing timeously.
This is time consuming for all parties (applicants, supervisors, DA’s, NRF officers) to write and review these applications.
On the contrary, some students feel that they are on target to complete and thus do not submit an application, but require funding the following year due to extremely legitimate reasons.
The case of #Feesmustfall is a prime example of legitimate reasons which was beyond the university and students’ control – NRF was not very sympathetic in these circumstances.
Possible Solutions:
Extension call should be opened later in the year (September/October) - even if outcomes are released in Feb/March of the following year.
Alternatively, NRF should consider reviewing applications on a case by case basis and on merit – not via an open call that perversely sets up an expectation to prolong studies.

7. Travel grant applications
Applications processed on the 20th of each month
Outcomes being made available towards the end of the month or early the following month
When funds are released, the expenses have increased and in some cases, accommodation is fully booked.
Research office advises students to enquire from departments or supervisors to provide an advance so that loan monies can be reimbursed once the NRF releases funds, this is not always possible for supervisors or departments to make funding available to their students on loan
Travel abroad for masters should be looked into ( value to be considered ) institutional top up to be allowed
Institutions does not know if and when travel grants are submitted on the NRF website to enable tracking
This has been requested, with no implementation as yet
 Possible Solutions:
NRF to process applications twice a month
Provide information to institutions regarding status of travel grant application( update status).

8. Other funding CONCERNS
Time to completion
Students taken longer than the allocated time allowed for a MSc (2 years) or PhD (3 years). 
Student has no funding in their last "additional" academic year in order to complete their studies→ drop out due to lack of funding and therefore the ROI to NRF turns to 0%.
NRF extensions hinder institutional time to completion
Limited availability of funds from NRF for part-time students (students working more than 12 hours per week).
The socio-economic conditions of many South Africans do not allow them to become study full-time as most of them are the breadwinners.  By having this rule (apparently it is a SARS rule) it has a negative effect on the amount of research students coming through the system.  NRF to discuss with SARS another maximum amount of hours e.g.  24 hours per week.
Few awards under the postdoctoral categories
Concern regarding the fewer awards made under the postdoctoral categories in 2017.
What is the NRF’s future vision around postdoctoral fellowships considering fewer awards being granted each year.
No further communication regarding the Career Advancement Awards.

9. General ADMINISTRATIVE concerns
Misunderstanding between roles and responsibilities of researcher / faculty / DA and NRF
Distribution of communiques to nominated DA’s only: Very often we find that outcomes of applications or reviewer feedback is sent by NRF officers to internal colleagues that are not on the updated DA list submitted to NRF.
Possible Solution:
Update DA distribution lists on an annual basis and work with updated distribution lists.(institutions to provide update )
Simultaneous distribution of NRF Communiqués to DA
It has been found on a few of occasions that selected DA’s are informed well in advance of crucial changes in NRF processes, whilst other DA’s are informed about these changes much later.
 Possible Solution:
Information should be sent from a central point to all DA’s simultaneously.
Grant-holder Linked Bursary vs Freestanding Scholarship award values
This matter has been raised with the NRF on several occasions in the past.
Grant-holders/supervisors are finding it difficult to retain their students linked to their projects, in cases where a student is successful with a freestanding scholarship application.
Increase grant-holder linked bursary values.

10. INSTITUTIONAL /UNIVERSITY CHALLENGES
Applicants not adhering to internal deadlines.
Applicants/grant-holders not submitting the required documents such as Proof of Registration and academic records in the case of students who are still owing fees.

11. Thank you
QUESTIONS