Research Chairs
The Faculty hosts the following Research Chairs:
Research Chair in the Economics of Social Policy: The Chair is held by Prof Servaas van der Berg and funded by the National Research Foundation under its South African Research Chair Initiative (SARChI).
Under this Research Chair, a team of researchers study aspects of social policy and provides policy advice in the South African and wider African contexts, with a strong emphasis on quantitative, policy relevant research.
A large part of recent research has focused on the Economics of Education. However, the research also covers topics such as poverty and inequality, the labour market, social grants, health policy, housing and municipal infrastructure.
Recent Working Papers produced within the Department on some of these areas can be accessed at here.
Contact person:
Prof Servaas van der Berg
Department of Economics
Research Chair in Social-Ecological Systems and Resilience: Prof Reinette (Oonsie) Biggs, the co-director of the Centre for Sustainability Transitions (CST), holds a DST/NRF South African Chair (SARChl) in Social-Ecological Systems and Resilience.
Her research aims to advance theory and understanding of complex social-ecological systems, specifically how to build resilience to deal with uncertainty, surprise and ongoing environmental and social change. Through her research, Prof Biggs wishes to develop practical theory, methods and insights that can ultimately contribute to facilitating transitions to more sustainable futures in Southern Africa.
Contact person:
Prof Reinette (Oonsie) Biggs
Centre for Sustainability Transitions
Research Chair in Complex Systems and Transformative African Futures: Prof Rika Preiser and Ms Tanja Hichert of the Centre for Sustainability Transitions (CST) hold a UNESCO Chair that forms part of the global UNITWIN/UNESCO Chairs Programme promoting international inter-university cooperation and networking to enhance institutional capacities through knowledge-sharing and collaborative work.
The UNESCO Chair in Complex Systems and Transformative African Futures will draw on the expertise of the two co-chairholders to integrate in-depth knowledge of complex systems, combined with the conceptual and practical applications of futures studies. Prof Preiser specialises in theories of complex systems, while CTS Research Fellow Tanja Hichert specialises in the practice of futures studies and foresight.
Contact person:
Prof Rika Preiser
Centre for Sustainability Transitions