The Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) is Africa’s largest dedicated research institute focused on the social sciences and humanities, with a legacy of over 50 years of impactful service. As a statutory research agency, the HSRC plays a critical role in advancing South Africa’s developmental goals by producing high-quality, policy-relevant research that supports evidence-based decision-making and drives social transformation.
The HSRC’s mandate includes contributing to the effective formulation and monitoring of government policy, evaluating policy implementation, disseminating research-based data to stimulate informed public debate, fostering collaborative research initiatives, and helping to build human sciences research capacity and infrastructure across the country. Through this multifaceted role, the HSRC serves as a vital link between research and real-world policy impact.
Operating across key developmental areas—such as building a capable, ethical, and developmental state; fostering inclusive economic growth and job creation; and promoting innovation and inclusivity—the HSRC’s work is aligned with South Africa’s National Development Plan and the broader Vision 2030. Its research agenda is purposefully focused on addressing national priorities, including poverty alleviation, reducing inequality, and generating innovative solutions to unemployment. Importantly, the HSRC is shifting from being primarily a generator of research to an enabler of research use—ensuring that its findings contribute meaningfully to policy and societal impact.
Collaboration forms a cornerstone of the HSRC’s approach. The organisation maintains extensive partnerships with local and international stakeholders, including government departments and implementation agencies, private sector entities, civil society organisations, academic institutions, research councils, and multilateral organisations such as United Nations agencies. These relationships are essential to driving collaborative, interdisciplinary research that is both locally relevant and globally significant.
The HSRC will be a national, regional and global leader in the production and dissemination of transformative social science and humanities research in the interests of a just and equal society
The HSRC produces leading-edge policy research, through engaged scholarship, to utilise in understanding and explaining social conditions and informing social change for inclusive growth in communities
Respecting equality, embracing ideas, and speaking out against discrimination of any kind
Pursuing non-partisanship but collaborating with all stakeholders, including the government
Conducting business honestly, diligently and underpinned by ethical principles, while embracing, but not abusing, intellectual freedom
Treating colleagues, stakeholders and members of the public with dignity and humility; observing organisational policies and processes; and preserving the environment and natural resources
Undertaking leading-edge research while remaining relevant.
Creating a safe and supportive working environment for colleagues
The HSRC derives its mandate from the HSRC Act, Act 17 of 2008. Section 3 of the Act requires the HSRC to:
