New Bilateral Funding Opportunity for South African Researchers

In a move to strengthen international research ties, the National Research Foundation (NRF) of South Africa has partnered with the Fund for Scientific Research (F.R.S.-FNRS) to launch a new bilateral call for proposals. This initiative focuses on funding mobility projects between researchers from South Africa and the French-speaking community of Belgium. While the call is primarily aimed at researchers with permanent status (R3) and senior positions (R4), it provides significant opportunities for PhD candidates and early-career researchers to participate in international networks and gain exposure to global research standards. The funding, which amounts to €15,000 per project, is designed to facilitate the exchange of knowledge and the development of joint research outputs. Applications are open until November 5, 2026. This collaboration is part of a broader effort by the NRF to embed international engagement into the core of South Africa's research enterprise, ensuring that local scholars remain at the forefront of global discovery science. Interested researchers are encouraged to consult the official NRF and F.R.S.-FNRS portals for detailed application guidelines.