SARIMA has enjoyed a long and fruitful partnership with the South African Department of Science and Technology (DST), through its Innovation Priorities and Instruments unit and the Multilateral Cooperation and Africa unit. This partnership has supported the strengthening Research & Innovation management capacity and has made significant strides in broadening the reach, and increasing participation, from across the SADC region, since 2014.

Through this project we have

• established the SADC Focal Points initiative, through the support of the SADC Secretariat and SADC Member Ministeries of Science and Technology;
• moved forward development of Professional Competency Frameworks for Research Management (RM) and Innovation Management (IM);
• trained more than 2000 professionals in topics related to RM and IM;
• received international accreditation of 20 courses and webinars in IM through the Association of Technology Transfer Professionals;
• trained 600 South African researchers in IP awareness, protection and commercialisation through IPWise™ workshops in partnership with the South African National Intellectual Property Management Office (NIPMO);
• facilitated national and regional RM and TT Forums’ to share best practices and deal with particular topics requiring suitable face to face discussions;
• supported 40 individuals through exchange programmes, and 13 institutions (in partnership with the NRF and NCURA) inter alia by managing mentorship programmes; and
• celebrating and awarding 19 individuals for their contributions to their RM or IM professions, and institutions for excellence in RM and IM, throughout the SADC region, through the South African Department of Science and Technology-SARIMA Excellence Awards.

Through the overwhelming support for such interventions the DST has continued to provide further funding for technology transfer exchange and industry-mentorship support programmes in South Africa.