Launch of the Research Project Navigator website

Dear research community

I am excited to announce the launch of the Research Project Navigator (RPN) website, a comprehensive platform designed to streamline and optimise the research journey at the University of Cape Town (UCT). The RPN is here to support researchers through every phase of a research project, guiding them through the research lifecycle from concept to completion, by providing clear step-by-step instructions and access to essential research support services, guidelines and tools appropriate for each step.

This resource is the result of many months of dedicated effort, in-depth interrogation of research support processes and collaboration across multiple university functions. This initiative reflects our ongoing commitment to improving research support at UCT, ensuring that researchers know about and have access to the right resources at the right time. Whether you are engaging with the Research Office, Research Contracts & Innovation, International Academic Programmes Office, eResearch Centre or Central Research Finance, the RPN will help you understand who to approach and how to access their services.

Through extensive engagement with key stakeholders, we have mapped out existing processes, identified areas for improvement and integrated valuable resources – including policies, templates, guides and funder-specific standard operating procedures for major funders like the National Research Foundation, Wellcome and the South African Medical Research Council Self-Initiated Research to help you more easily navigate funding requirements and expectations.

The platform aims to reduce inefficiencies, eliminate duplication and ensure a smoother experience for researchers across all faculties.

We encourage you to visit the RPN and explore its features. Your feedback is crucial in helping us refine and improve the platform. We invite you to test the tool and share your insights by completing the form at the end of each webpage on how we can make it even more useful for you.

The RPN will continue to evolve to meet the needs of the research community, and we remain committed to making the research journey as seamless and efficient as possible.

I look forward to hearing your thoughts and working together to enhance the research experience at UCT.

Sincerely

Professor Thokozani Majozi
Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research and Internationalisation

Read previous communications:

• From the UCT Executive
• Campus Announcements