Dr Therina Theron won the SARIMA (Southern African Research and Innovation Management Association – www.sarima.co.za) Excellence Award for Distinguished Contribution in Research Management in Southern Africa during a gala event that took place on the 4th of September 2024, as part of their annual conference, held in Maputo, Mozambique.
The SARIMA Excellence Awards recognise individuals who have made distinguished contributions to the development of Research or Innovation Management, particularly in terms of tangible contributions and with reference to specific interventions or initiatives to promote the profession over a sustained period.
Dr Theron received the award for her continued service to the Research Management community over the past 18 years since having been elected as member of the SARIMA National Executive Committee in 2007. Over the years she has served as member on the SARIMA Executive Committee, as Vice-President (VP) (Capacity Building and Professional Development), and as SARIMA President (2019 – 2021).
During her tenure as VP and President, she contributed to major strategic decisions and coordinated initiatives aimed at promoting SARIMA as a Southern African membership association for Research and Innovation management professionals. Through her involvement in SARIMA, membership of various committees on a national and international level, and also in her position as Senior Director: Research and Innovation at SU, she continues to play a leadership role in capacity development and professionalisation of research managers globally. A major part of Therina`s contribution at international level in 2023, was her role as Chair of the International Network of Research Management Societies (INORMS) 2023 congress hosted by SARIMA in Durban, South Africa between 30 May 2023 and 2 June 2023.
As Senior Director (Research and Innovation) at SU, she is leading an efficient and service-oriented division (www.sun.ac.za/research-innovation/research-development), which consistently strives to be a key enabler in SU's research and innovation ecosystem. Through its various functions, the division supports the research endeavours of academic staff, postdocs and postgraduate students, and plays a key role in the visibility and promotion of research at SU.
In 2023, Dr Theron, together with DVC: Research, Innovation and PG Studies, Prof Sibusiso Moyo, spearheaded the implementation of two major new projects that contribute to SU`s vision to be a leading research-intensive institution on the African continent:
- the 'Public Squares' project aimed at promoting new trans-disciplinary collaborations, with the aim to support Research for Impact as a strategic institutional goal. The initiative empowers researchers across SU's ten faculties and two schools to explore bold ideas and develop competitive grant proposals to cultivate new transdisciplinary focal areas.
- the SUNRISE (Stellenbosch University Research and Innovation Strategic Excellence) programme, aims t0 support top academics in their journey to becoming professors. The SUNRISE programme supports the rejuvenation and transformation of SU's professoriate.
Some years ago, Therina also initiated the Stellenbosch University's Early Career Academic Development (ECAD) programme, with the support of funding from the DHET University Capacity Development Grant (UCDG) that (in 2024) provides mentorship and capacity development support to 145 early career academic staff members.
The sustainable impact of her contributions to the development of the RM profession is indisputable, and her leadership role in various initiatives over many years has culminated in a number of tangible outputs. This includes, amongst others:
- Her leading role in an Erasmus+ Capacity Building in Higher Education (CBHE) project entitled “Strengthening of Collaboration, Leadership and Professionalization in Research Management in SADC and EU Higher Education Institutions (StoRM)" (2017 – 2020);
- Serving as module coordinator and lecturer on a Postgraduate Diploma in Research Management and Administration (RMA) offered by the Centre for Research on Evaluation, Science and Technology (CREST), Stellenbosch University (2020 – 2023);
- Serving as Regional Editor for Africa for The Emerald Handbook of Research Management and Administration Around the World. Poli, Susi; Yang-Yoshihara, Mariko; Kerridge, Simon (2023) https://library.oapen.org/handle/20.500.12657/86164.
As a mentor, she has provided guidance to research management practitioners nationally and internationally and is involved in various committees and communities of practice, as well as facilitator of workshops and forums related to the field. Through her networks and leadership in the field, Stellenbosch University`s Division for Research Development (DRD) is often requested to act as host for visiting research managers and administrators, nationally and internationally, in order to benchmark their own activities. As such, the DRD has recently been selected to take part in a Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation-funded SARIMA project that kicks off in 2024. The primary goal of this project is to enhance the research management capabilities of the participating institutions and SU, through the DRD, will act as mentor for two universities in Malawi.
