“Equitable strategic research partnerships are built on humility, shared purpose, and mutual accountability. When we centre justice and inclusivity in our collaborations, we do not only generate knowledge — we strengthen the collective capacity of our institutions, our communities, and our continent.” — Mzi Nduna, Divisional Executive, HSRC
The second conference on Equitable Partnerships (4–5 February 2026, Pretoria) brought global research leaders together to advance practical approaches to fair, impactful, and accountable international collaboration. In attendance was Ms Avuyile Ntozakhe, and Dr Mzikazi Nduna, from the HSRC’s Research Impact Division.
Hosted by the National Research Foundation (NRF), in partnership with the Royal Society and the British Academy, the conference built on the 2025 call to action on Equitable Partnerships (EqPIC) and focused on implementation across the research lifecycle. The HSRC’s strategy prioritises impactful, socially responsive research that advances inclusive development. The conference’s emphasis on equitable agenda-setting, mutual benefit, and accountability aligns directly with the HSRC’s commitment to co-creation of knowledge with government, communities, and civil society. Through its focus on evidence-informed policymaking and systems strengthening, the HSRC operationalises equitable partnerships by ensuring research addresses nationally defined priorities and delivers public value.
Proceedings began on 3 February with a pre-conference workshop series focused on equitable partnerships. Three workshops explored key dimensions of global collaborative research: evidence-informed policymaking and societal impact; the concept of an ‘Ideal Call’ to strengthen equitable funding design; and research management capacity strengthening, delivered through a ‘world café’ model that enabled peer exchange and co-creation of practical strategies.
The first plenary, delivered by Prof Quarraisha Abdool Karim, co-founder and Associate Scientific Director of Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA), emphasised translating equity from policy into practice and embedding it within research design, governance and institutional systems. The closing plenary by Prof Tshilidzi Marwala, Rector of the United Nations University and UN Under-Secretary-General, highlighted how inclusive, balanced partnerships generate mutual benefit, strengthen research ecosystems, and require sustained, long-term cooperation.
Together, the plenaries reinforced core themes: moving from principle to implementation, embedding equity at all levels, ensuring mutual accountability between Global South and Global North institutions, and recognising the transformative power of long-term equitable collaboration.
For the HSRC, the discussions resonated strongly with institutional priorities around equitable partnerships, evidence-informed policymaking, research impact, and systems strengthening. Sessions on research leadership, agenda-setting, indigenous knowledge, and research management capacity highlighted the need for intentional partnership design and enabling institutional systems. The HSRC’s Annual Performance Plan reinforces robust grant management, partnership oversight, and ethical standards—key enablers of fair and accountable collaboration across the research lifecycle.
A key reflection came from Professor Shadreck Chirikure, who asked: “How can we build collaborations that are truly mutual and beneficial?” — emphasising that equitable research must deliver tangible value to the communities where it is conducted.
The conference reaffirmed that equity in research is not aspirational, but operational — requiring shared accountability across institutions and partners. There are several elements of HSRC policy, practice and strategic planning that align closely with the principles of equitable research collaboration:
Collaboration and partnership principles at the HSRC
1. Strategic partnership orientation
The HSRC’s institutional approach emphasises the development of long-term, engaged and strategic partnerships with national, regional and international stakeholders — including government, universities, science councils, NGOs and community groups — to ensure research relevance and impact.
2. Values embedded in collaboration
The HSRC’s mission and values include respect, integrity, inclusion, and working across stakeholders in ways that support inclusive scholarship and collaborative knowledge use — foundations that speak to equitable engagement even if not labelled as a formal “equity framework”.
3. Participatory and community-engaged research orientation
Strategic planning documents for 2025–2030 stress participatory co-creation with communities and stakeholders throughout the research process, ensuring voices from affected groups inform research design, interpretation and uptake. This participatory approach is closely aligned with key equitable partnership principles.
4. Alignment with broader principles such as engaged research
The institution leads and participates in initiatives like engaged research that prioritise inclusive involvement of communities, stakeholders and partners — approaches that underpin equitable collaboration models.
Written by Ms Samantha Linn Coert, Strategic Partnerships and Internationalisation (HSRC)
