The Department of Science and Innovation's South African Research Chairs Initiative (SARChI) is managed by the National Research Foundation (NRF). The chairs are held by individuals. Their purpose is to strengthen the ability of our universities to produce high-quality research and nurture students.

Faculty of Commerce

• Creation of decent work and sustainable livelihood – Associate Professor Ines Meyer
• Economic growth, poverty and inequality: exploring the interactions for South Africa – Professor Haroon Bhorat
• Governance and economics for ecological infrastructure – Professor Martine Visser
• Blockchain as the foundation of digital property rights and data markets – Professor Co-Pierre Georg

Faculty of Engineering & the Built Environment

• Industrial computational fluid dynamics – Professor Arnaud Malan
• Nanomaterials for catalysis – Professor Patricia Kooyman
• Reaction engineering – Professor Eric Van Steen
• Smart mobility - Professor Marianne Vanderschuren
• Sustainable Catalysis - Associate Professor Nico Fischer
• Energy and power systems modelling: grid modelling - Associate Professor Sunetra Chowdhury

Faculty of Health Sciences

• Biomedical engineering and innovation – Associate Professor Sudesh Sivarasu
• Cancer biology – Professor Stefan Barth
• Clinical neuroscience research – Professor Anthony Figaji
• Dermatology and toxicology – Professor Nonhlanhla Khumalo
• Bilateral Chair: Environmental health – Professor Aqiel Dalvie
• Lung infection and immunity of poverty-related diseases – Professor Graeme Meintjes

Faculty of Humanities

• Archive and public culture – Professor Carolyn Hamilton

Faculty of Law

• Intellectual property, innovation and development – Professor Caroline Ncube
• Mineral law in Africa – Professor Hanri Mostert

Faculty of Sciences

• Environmental and social dimensions of the bio-economy – Professor Rachel Wynberg
• Extragalactic multi-wavelength astronomy – Professor D.J. Pisano
• Ocean modelling – Professor Mathieu Rouault
• Physical cosmology – Professor Amanda Weltman
• Fast transients and gravitational waves counterparts – Professor Paul Groot
• Stable isotopes in archaeology and paleo-environmental studies – Professor Judith Sealy
• Systems biology studies on plant desiccation tolerance for food security – Professor Jill Farrant