Research Fellowships for Senior Academics

Rhodes provides an opportunity for the appointment of honorary researchers such as Research Associates and Visiting Professors which are designed to encourage colleagues from other institutions both locally and internationally to collaborate with Rhodes staff and in some cases to be co-supervisors of Master and PhD theses. These appointments are made as 3-year contracts through a process of nomination to the Academic and Staffing Committee which takes into consideration the departmental motivation and candidates CV in terms of their suitability for such an appointment. In addition, endowments provide funding for the appointment of a number of prestigious senior research fellowships on an annual basis. This programme of honorary and senior fellowship appointments has been a very successful means of stimulating collaboration with colleagues at research councils, industry and business both nationally and internationally and has been a stimulus to enhancing research outputs in many departments.

• Hugh Kelly Fellowship
• Hugh Le May Fellowship
• Hobart Houghton Fellowship

Postdoctoral Research Fellowships

Postdoctoral Research Fellows are individuals who undertake research and gain professional experience for a future academic career, under the supervision and mentorship of an academic host within the university. The purpose of a Postdoctoral Research Fellowship is to provide an opportunity for research which supports further academic and professional development.

Postdoctoral Research Fellowship opportunities are provided by several different sources, i.e. NRF (National Research Foundation), MRC (Medical Research Commission), Claude Leon Foundation, Andrew Mellon Foundation and Rhodes University (internally funded). The Fellowships are awarded to individuals within five years of their having obtained a doctoral degree.

Following a clarification from the South African Revenue Services (SARS) and the Higher Education South Africa (HESA), new guidelines and practices need to be adhered to by all universities regarding the management of Postdoctoral Research Fellows. These guidelines will be effective with any new Postdoctoral Fellow appointee, at any university in South Africa.

Rhodes University Postdoctoral Research Fellowships 2026

The University Council has established several Rhodes University Postdoctoral Research Fellowships across all faculties, which may be awarded for one year with the possibility of renewal.

Please note renewals are not automatic and current RU Postdoctoral Fellowship holders will need to apply for a Renewal.

Closing date: 22 August 2025

Postdoctoral Fellowships foster existing research and scholarly or creative activities within Rhodes University departments and institutes. Ideally, a Postdoctoral Fellow's proposed work will closely complement existing programs in the host department.

• Although there is no age restriction, potential Postdoctoral Fellows must hold a Doctoral Degree, awarded within the last five years, preferably from an institution other than Rhodes University, and recognized as appropriate to the discipline for which the Postdoctoral Fellowship is sought. Successful candidates must be of exceptional merit as evidenced by the quality and corpus of publications or other recognized forms of achievement relevant to the Postdoctoral Fellow's discipline. The Postdoctoral Fellowship will be awarded strictly on merit.
• An applicant who has not completed their PhD  must have submitted the PhD thesis by the end of 2025. In these circumstances, the Research Office will require written assurance from the applicant's Host that there is a reasonable expectation that the Doctoral degree will be successfully examined by early 2026.
• Applications should be made through Heads of Departments or Directors of Research Institutes.

Value of the Postdoctoral Fellowship

Each Postdoctoral Fellowship is R260 000 per annum. The Postdoctoral Fellowship cannot be held concurrently with any employment or supplementary funding.The payments are made quarterly in advance.

Conditions of Award

The University expects all publications, creative works, and other academic products of the Postdoctoral Fellowship will bear appropriate acknowledgment with full affiliation to Rhodes University. The University reserves the right to co-ownership of inventions and patents directly emanating from research conducted under the sponsorship of the Fellowship.

The University reserves the right to request the refund of any fellowship paid to the Fellow should the Fellow terminate their contract before its completion.

Award of the Postdoctoral Fellowship

Applications for the Fellowships should be made through the potential host Department and then directed to the Research Office (research-admin@ru.ac.za). Awards will be determined by a committee comprising the Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research,Innovation and Strategic Partnerships (Chair), the Director: Research Office, and Faculty Deans.

The committee is not bound to award any or all of the Fellowships in one year.

If you do not receive communication from the research office by 03 October 2025, please consider your application unsuccessful.

RU Postdoc Application

RU Postdoc Renewal Application

THE CRITICAL STUDIES IN SEXUALITIES & REPRODUCTION (CSSR) POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIP

Last Modified: Mon, 04 Aug 2025 09:26:28 SAST