In short 

• The HSRC and National Research Foundation promoted engaged research through a 2025 conference. 

• Engaged research emphasises collaboration, co-creation and community participation in knowledge production. 

• Partnerships across academia, government and civil society can improve policy relevance and social impact. 

• Embedding societal impact and epistemic justice strengthens South Africa’s research system. 

How can research move beyond reports and citations to create meaningful change in people’s lives? And how can researchers reimagine their relationships with communities as collaborative partnerships rather than top-down, mostly researcher-driven engagements? In October 2025, the HSRC and the National Research Foundation (NRF) convened researchers, policymakers and community partners at the Engaged Research Conference in Gauteng. Supported by the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation, the conference explored how collaboration, co-creation and public participation can reshape South Africa’s research system for greater social impact. 

From left: the HSRC’s Jacqueline Lebogang Maseloane and Shingirirai Muzondo at the HSRC/NRF Engaged Research Conference (October 2025). Photo: HSRC 

South Africa’s most pressing challenges – unemployment, inequality and poverty – are deeply interconnected and stubbornly persistent. Addressing them requires more than technical solutions or academic insight. It demands research that is grounded in lived experience, shaped with communities, and translated into action.  

The Department of Science, Technology and Innovation’s White Paper on Science, Technology and Innovation, the Decadal Plan and the National Research Foundation’s Engaged Research Framework all call for a research system that values public participation, social responsiveness and the co-production of knowledge as core features of the National System of Innovation. 

Moving engaged research from the margins to the mainstream 

In response, the HSRC is advancing a more coordinated and strategic approach to engaged research through its Mainstreaming Engaged Research through the National System of Innovation project. The initiative focuses on building a shared understanding of engaged research, strengthening relationships across sectors and ensuring that research contributes meaningfully to national development priorities. A major milestone in this process was the HSRC/NRF Engaged Research Conference, held in October 2025. The conference created a rare space where researchers, government officials, civil society organisations, funders and community partners could engage as equals, exchanging ideas, questioning assumptions and identifying practical pathways for collaboration. 

Beyond the ivory tower 

The conference was preceded by a series of activities designed to deepen reflection and widen participation. In August 2025, the HSRC hosted a webinar titled Engaged Research: The Academy and Beyond. Chaired by Akhona Gumede, the session featured presentations by Dr Konosoang Sobane (HSRC) and Rhodes University scholars Margie Maistry, Diana Hornby and Claire McCann. Their contributions explored science diplomacy, international perspectives and the practicalities of knowledge co-production, positioning engaged research as a central catalyst for societal transformation in unequal societies. 

Learning by doing 

Two pre-conference workshops held on the eve of the main event offered participants opportunities to share experiences and explore practical approaches to engaged research in a participatory setting. 

The Public Squares for Engagement workshop introduced participants to the public square method as a practical approach to engaged research. Through arts-based, minimally facilitated activities, participants collectively explored power, trust and participation in the research process. The session emphasised co-creation, ethical data collection and shared ownership of knowledge, while encouraging participants to reflect critically on their own research practices and commit to more meaningful, inclusive and reflective forms of engagement.  

A second workshop drew on lessons from the Violence Prevention Forum (VPF). Established in 2015, the VPF brings together members of the government, civil society, researchers, donors and the private sector to share evidence and strengthen effective violence-prevention policy and practice in South Africa. Participants examined how the VPF maintains communication and cooperation across the different sectors, and discussed evidence-based, practical strategies for violence prevention and more equitable, inclusive methods of collaboration. 

Bridging knowledge and society 

The main conference, held on 22–24 October 2025, convened over 500 participants from South Africa and beyond, and included researchers, policymakers and civil society representatives from institutions such as Harvard University, Stanford University and The African Academy of Sciences. 

Attendees of a parallel session – Epistemic Justice, Social Justice, and Equity in Research – at the HSRC/NRF Engaged Research Conference (October 2025). Photo: HSRC 

As part of the Engaged Research Project, the conference explored pathways for embedding collaborative, socially responsive research within South Africa’s National System of Innovation. Delegates expressed their commitment to establishing a national community of practice, developing evidence-mapping tools and redefining research excellence through tangible societal contributions, alongside traditional academic metrics. 

“We recognise that the humanities no longer exist at the margins of society,” said Professor Sarah Mosoetsa, CEO of the HSRC. “They are deeply embedded within the lived realities, histories and aspirations of communities. Thus, our research recommendations are grounded in robust research evidence and co-produced knowledge, reflecting a shift from detached scholarship to engaged research that is socially responsive, policy-relevant and accountable to communities.” 

Co-creation, partnerships and participation 

One of the themes of the conference was the practical use of co-creation, partnerships and participatory methodologies, positioning engaged research as an important tool for addressing social, economic and health challenges. Across multiple sessions, presenters showcased participatory methods that generate contextually relevant knowledge through equitable collaboration.  

This is evident through the work done by the HSRC’s Centre for Community-Based Research’s (CCBR) Community Walking School Bus Programme, where community members reached out to the HSRC for assistance with an initiative where they actively accompany school children to enhance safety. Case studies such as this demonstrated how co-creation can improve research relevance, enhance uptake and strengthen relationships between researchers and the communities they work with.  

At the same time, discussions emphasised the importance of discernment. Engaged research is essential in many contexts, but not all research needs to be engaged. Participants stressed the need for careful judgement about when and how engagement adds value, how it can be conducted ethically and sustainably, and when it is most appropriate and effective. 

Advancing epistemic justice, social justice and equity  

A recurring theme was epistemic justice – the recognition that knowledge is produced in many forms and places, not only within universities and research institutions. Speakers emphasised that engaged research is both a practical requirement and an ethical responsibility. Emerging researchers examined how participatory research in sexual and reproductive health policy can advance epistemic and social justice by centring the lived knowledge of sexual and gender minorities, questioning whether such approaches can “successfully upend knowledge hierarchies” and overcome discrimination and implementation barriers in formal policymaking. 

Power relations were investigated by asking who creates knowledge and whose voices are given priority. Presenters explored strategies for making research more inclusive and demonstrated how engaged research techniques may be modified to enable meaningful participation by people with disabilities and marginalised groups, and how to address power imbalances that shape research relationships in unequal social contexts.   

Engaged research in the digital and AI age 

A dedicated plenary session discussed the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and digital methodologies within engaged research. Presenters highlighted the analytical potential of artificial intelligence (AI) and the ethical challenges it raises for engaged research. Speakers emphasised the need for robust ethical frameworks and critical digital literacies to ensure that technological innovation supports participatory principles and social transformation.  

Dr Martina Jordaan from the University of Pretoria shared a collaborative initiative with the Historical Society of Mamelodi that enables residents to document lived histories through digital platforms, strengthening community identity and intergenerational knowledge sharing. 

From knowledge to action 

A key insight emerging from the conference was that meaningful impact requires engaged research to move beyond traditional academic outputs, such as papers and reports. Sessions explored strategies to ensure that research findings are accessible, relevant and useful to policymakers, practitioners and communities.  

Prof. Edmore Marinda of the Pan African Centre for Epidemic Research (PACER) at the University of Johannesburg highlighted frameworks and tools for measuring and evaluating the impact of engaged research, drawing on international best practice. He shared case studies demonstrating how sustained engagement builds trust, supports evidence-informed decision making and increases the likelihood that research influences policy and practice. Collectively, discussions emphasised the need for institutions to embed societal impact as a core component of research practice.  

Outcomes and next steps 

The conference dialogue has already sparked new partnerships, including a developing collaboration between the HSRC, Stellenbosch University and Radio KC. These partnerships between a science council, a university and a community radio station reflect the project’s national vision, while pointing to longer-term global possibilities. Complementing the conference are an evolving stakeholder map and an interactive evidence map, designed to identify key stakeholders, projects that employ engaged research practices, geographical focus areas and the engaged research methodologies supporting connection and collaboration across disciplines and sectors.   

Conclusion 

Across three days of dialogue, debate and reflection, the Engaged Research Conference made a compelling case for research that is co-created, socially grounded and orientated towards action. By foregrounding authentic partnerships in addressing complex societal challenges, engaged research offers a powerful pathway for addressing complex societal challenges and strengthening the foundation for a more inclusive and responsive research ecosystem in South Africa and the Global South. 

Watch this HSRC Connect session recorded at the conference: Engaging knowledge, transforming society: The HSRC/NRF Engaged Research Conference 

Research contacts and acknowledgements 

This article was written by Nonkululeko Dlamini, Yoliswa Sikhosana and Akhona Gumede from the HSRC’s Research Impact Division (RID). This event was hosted by the HSRC and NRF, supported by the DSTI. For more information about this work, please contact Akhona Gumede at engagedresearch@hsrc.ac.za