SKILLS
High end skills development is a key focus of the Water RDI Roadmap. The primary focus is on grooming a cohort of postgraduate students that are sufficiently skilled to respond to the water security challenges of the future. There is also a focus on the research-linked training landscape as a way helping to shift research derived knowledge into practise.
Postgraduate student support
The core focus of the Roadmap Skills development aspirations is to support a cohort of post-graduate students that are skilled in areas aligned to the Roadmap and able to respond to the water security needs of the future.
An annual Water RDI Roadmap postgraduate support programme has been established. The WRC and DSTI have worked with a range of partners to consolidate a pot of postgraduate bursary funds that are then awarded through an annual call that is released some time between September and November of each year.
The Annual Call is advertised here as is becomes available.
The graph below summarise the students supported to date.
Training
Training is an important part of exposing professionals to the latest developments emerging from research and innovation.
The Water Fellow programme is an expanded professional development programme that equipes Masters and Doctoral students with a range of self-mastery and awareness, project management and workplace readiness skills that enable them to exit their degrees with greater insight and workplace readiness.
The Water Fellows programme has been implemented by GreenMatter. The fellowship has been co-funded by GreenMatter, WRC, DSTI, DFFE, Nedbank and the Lewis Foundation.
A pool of Water RDI Roadmap bursary candidates have been linked to the programme on an annual basis which takes place through a combination of in-person, online, group and individual training and coaching sessions over a period of a year.
The CIU also works through it’s various programme to partner to offer ad hoc short course training (e.g. Water Sensitive Design, Transboundary Water Governance, Theory of Change development for water innovation projects, etc
Catalytic Projects
To understand this landscape the WRC has conducted a study to better understand the Water RDI Roadmap related skills landscape in terms of 1) RDI capabilities, 2)high end skills demand, 3)postgraduate and short course training mapping. The intention of this work is to provide signals to sector partners on needs and opportunities in these areas.
Be part of shaping South Africa’s future by engaging with the Water RDI Roadmap. Together, we can drive innovative solutions, strengthen partnerships, and create sustainable water systems for generations to come. Whether you’re in research, policy, business, or education, your contribution matters. Let’s collaborate for a water-secure South Africa and beyond!
