South African Voices of Action in Social Sciences (SAVASS) Programme 2025-2026

This 18-month initiative is funded by the British Academy and led by Rhodes University (Sioux McKenna), Lancaster University (Tineke Brunfaut), and the University of the Free State (Melanie Walker). It supports 25 early career researchers (ECRs) from the following institutions: Walter Sisulu University; Rhodes University; Nelson Mandela University; University of Fort Hare; and the University of the Free State. The programme is a transformative research capacity-building programme designed to strengthen academic writing, publishing, and professional development for ECRs aiming to publish in accredited national and international journals. It includes 1) two funded residential workshops (at Rhodes University in August 2025 and at the University of the Free State in March 2026); 2) online mentoring and peer-support sessions; and 3) practical skills development in academic publishing, grant writing, and international collaboration. The SAVASS objectives are i) to improve academic writing tailored to international standards; ii) to engage critically with the purpose and ethics of publishing; iii) to enable strategies for successful publishing in high-impact journals; iv) to gain grant writing and research funding application skills; and v) to build long-term international research partnerships.