20 April 2026
HSRC Press | Publisher’s Pulse, Edition 8 – April 2026The Research Impact Division (RID) is mandated to ensure that the HSRC research creates impact beyond academia, bringing world-class scholarship to the people, policies, and programmes that can turn evidence into action. Research that stays in journals doesn’t change lives. The RID bridges that gap by strengthening research impact, building strategic partnerships, supporting ethical research practice, developing future researchers, and ensuring knowledge reaches those who need it most.
Drawing on the HSRC’s multi- and interdisciplinary expertise, we champion research that responds to pressing societal challenges and contributes to meaningful development outcomes across South Africa, the African continent, and beyond. Evidence-based solutions should shape decision-making and development outcomes, locally, nationally, and across the African continent. Our work is positioned around the HSRC’s 2025–2030 strategy and in South Africa’s national development priorities. The HSRC’s strategic cycle centres on three priorities that respond directly to South Africa’s most pressing challenges. The RID contributes to all three: 1. Inclusive Growth & Job Creation 2. A Capable, Ethical & Developmental State 3. Innovation & Inclusivity: Future Society
As Africa’s leading scholarly publisher, HSRC Press publishes peer-reviewed books across the social sciences and humanities, making African scholarship visible, accessible, and globally impactful through three imprints and an open access platform reaching 200+ countries.
The SPECD Unit forges local and global partnerships that strengthen the HSRC’s reach and relevance. The Unit leads science diplomacy, manages internationalisation, and runs South Africa’s national graduate internship programme.
The Impact Evaluation Unit asks the hard question: what was the impact? The IEU drives the HSRC’s impact agenda by leading monitoring and evaluation across the organisation. We build internal capability, develop impact frameworks, and support divisions in designing and running rigorous evaluations.
Good research starts with trust and integrity. The RGEI Unit ensures every HSRC project meets the highest ethical and governance standards, managing our Research Ethics Committee, providing training, and safeguarding the integrity that is our reputation.
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