Prof Phakeng gives tips on to write your motivation to apply for a NRF rating
CEDU academics attended an interesting, forthright information session on 21 January 2013 where Professor RM Phakeng, Vice-Principal: Research and Innovation, shared her expertise on how to be more effective when completing an application for NRF rating. According to Professor Phakeng, who serves as an assessor in the NRF rating system, “Completing the applicant form is just as important as doing high quality research because that is what introduces you to reviewers who may not know you and have never read any of your published research.”
Prof Phakeng emphasised that the greatest challenge for all applicants is to provide evidence of a sustained record of research activity that shows that the applicant can independently undertake high quality and rigorous research that is coherent and makes an impact. The assessment for NRF rating focuses specifically on the research that the applicant has done in the previous eight years and the rating is valid for six years.
She provided context when she shared in brief what the different ratings mean: The Y rating is for promising young researchers who are 40 years or younger and who show potential to be established in five years. The P rating is awarded to young researchers who are 35 years old or younger and have demonstrated the potential of becoming future international leaders in five years. C1, C2 and C3 are for established researchers where the C1 also has some international standing. Ratings B1, B2 and B3 indicate that the researcher has considerable international recognition and A1 and A2 ratings are for leading international researchers.She ended the workshop by emphasising that having any NRF rating is a great achievement which indicates that one’s peers recognise the quality of the work that one is doing.
Prof Phakeng explained the different sections of the application form, focusing on what needs to be emphasised and foregrounded. She pointed out the following:
- NRF rating is about research and so the application must focus on research achievements
- If an applicant lists achievements in teaching and community engagement then they must indicate how those are linked to their research.
- Applicants must work with personal librarians in their colleges to get data that indicates their citations as well as their h-index. This data is important as it gives some indication of the impact that the applicant’s research has had.
- The selection of reviewers is not a trivial process – it needs to be thought through carefully. Make sure you do not include colleagues from Unisa and also exclude anyone who will be an obvious choice because the specialist committee will select them anyway.
Prof Phakeng together with CEDU colleagues who all came to listen to her NRF application advice
To assist the CEDU academics, Prof Phakeng provided two examples of NRF rating applications of people who were awarded a C2 and a B2 rating so that they can see an example of such a successful application. To end off Prof Phakeng advised: “Mention your five-year research plan, explain what the core problem is that you are exploring and mention whom you are collaborating with. In the selection of your reviewers select only people who usually quote your work positively.”
