2nd Stellenbosch University Undergraduate Research Conference (SUURCon 2025)

After a successful SUURCon 2024, we would like to invite you to the second undergraduate research conference in November of 2025. Despite significant challenges such as insufficient funding and large class sizes, the benefits of undergraduate research experiences (URE) have been well documented. The idea of participating in “real” or authentic research and being socialised in becoming a researcher has a positive effect on the retention of students to postgraduate level. In addition, students had more confidence in their work, broadened their professional networks, felt ownership of projects, and had the opportunity to feel a sense of belonging. Overall, all students benefit from an URE. Indeed, undergraduate research should become an integral part of our undergraduate offering to address severe skills shortage, and training of researchers to address current and future challenges.

There are several departments, institutes and programmes at SU that engage in undergraduate research experiences either as undergraduate practical projects, Honours projects or 4th year projects. Many of these rely on innovative and original thinking from the student. This potential should be show-cased to stimulate more engagement with research at undergraduate level. With this in mind, you are invited to nominate students in your classes to present their research projects at, or simply attend, the 2nd Undergraduate Research Conference.