PRE-CONFERENCE WORKSHOPS | Tuesday, 2 September 2025
— Pre-Booking Essential | CLICK HERE to book
Morning Workshops | 08:30-12:00
Enabling Equitable and Effective International Research Collaborations | Supported by The British Academy
• Research Management (RM) | Innovation & Technology Transfer (I&TT)
— CLICK HERE to view more information
Harnessing AI for Research Management: Enhancing Productivity and Efficiency
• Research Management (RM)
— CLICK HERE to view more information
Afternoon Workshops | 13:00-16:30
Patent Database Use, Patentability and Risk Searches
• Innovation and Technology Transfer (I&TT)
— CLICK HERE to view more information
IP and Technology Transfer in the Digital Age: Adopting AI and Other Tools
• Innovation and Technology Transfer (I&TT)
— CLICK HERE to view more information
Directors Roundtable Forum: Securing Resilient Research and Innovation Leadership
• Research Management (RM) | Innovation & Technology Transfer (I&TT)
— CLICK HERE to view more information
Full Day Workshops | 08:30-16:30
Future-Proofing Research Ethics: Scenario Planning and Management Strategies
• Research Management (RM)
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Innovation and Commercialisation at South African Universities
• Innovation and Technology Transfer (I&TT)
— CLICK HERE to view more information
Becoming a Digi-Sapien: Unlocking Effective Communication in a Digital Era
• Research Management (RM) and Innovation & Technology Transfer (I& TT)
— CLICK HERE to view more information
• Gates Foundation Training (By Invitation Only)
• IPRC (WHO | RM Associations) (By Invitation Only)
POST CONFERENCE TOURS | Friday, 5 September 2025
— Booking Essential | CLICK HERE to book
Note:
• Tours are limited to 25 per University
• Fee: R 920.00 per person
• Bookings close on 31 July 2025, for a tour to continue at least 10 participants need to join
• Please provide a 1st and 2nd option
• Transport included, departing from the Stellenbosch Protea Hotel (conference host venue) at 12h30, the tour ends 16h30 and the bus will return to the hotel
• Delegates wanting to travel directly to the airport after the last stop on the tour, can bring luggage with and arrange direct uber transfers to save travel time, flights recommended from 19h00 onwards
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University of Cape Town (RM & ITT)
The UCT visit will provide insight into the operations of the Research Office as well as Research Contracts & Innovation (RC&I), the department that fulfils the role of a technology transfer office (TTO)
Presentations will cover (The sessions will strive to be interactive and allow time for Q&A):
• General operations, structure, and functions of the Research Office as well as key initiatives
• Specific research management topics will be dealt with in more depth and will be selected from issues such as: compliance, e-Research and research data management, researcher development, international grant writing support, etc.
• RC&I will highlight trends in the research contracts space, such as funder due diligence requirements on sub-awardees, contract management systems and the need for data to support decision making during times of crisis, delegation of authority for the signing of contracts and the different entities within the university who manage different legal and contractual matters.
• From an innovation perspective, RC&I will provide an overview of the TTO function, support for spin-off company formation and the management of internal university seed funds to develop and mature technologies ahead of licensing or company incorporation. Insights into progress in the new Social Science, Humanities and Arts for People and the Economy (SHAPE) space will be presented.
Stellenbosch University (RM & ITT:
• 13h00-14h00 Discussion on Research Management with DRD and walk around Rooi Plein
• 14h15-15h00 Discussion on Tech Transfer activities with TTO
• 15h00-15h45 Discussion on incubation with Launch Lab and discussion with a spin-out company.
• 15h45-16h30 Drive back to Technopark
Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) and University of the Western Cape (UWC) (ITT):
Please join us on a visit to CPUT and UWC to get an overview of the Innovation Ecosystem at these universities.
• 13h30-13h55 Tour of the CPUT Agrifood Processing Technology Station (ATS)
• 13h55-14h20 Tour of the CPUT Clothing and Textile Technology Station (TCTS)
• 14h20-14h45 Technology Transfer Office at CPUT
• 14h45-15h15 Drive to UWC Innovation Hub
• 15h15-15h40 Tour of the UWC Augmented and Virtual Reality Studio
• 15h40-16h05 Technology Transfer Office at UWC
• 16h05-16h30 Entrepreneurship at UWC
