The National Institute for the Humanities and Social Sciences (NIHSS) continued to strengthen its engagement across South Africa’s broader research and innovation landscape as NIHSS CEO, Prof Pearl Sithole, participated in the 2026 NRF Next Generation and Emerging Researchers Symposium, held at Birchwood Hotel in Gauteng from 7-9 October 2026.

Convened by the National Research Foundation (NRF) under the broader theme of Research for a Better Society, the symposium brought together emerging researchers, senior academics, research institutions, government representatives and other stakeholders to engage some of the most pressing questions confronting the research ecosystem.

South Africa’s observance of Women’s Month should extend beyond remembrance, celebration and symbolic recognition. It should also provide an opportunity to examine whether scholarship, public policy and institutional practice are producing meaningful change in the everyday lives of women.

This was the central challenge raised by Prof Pearl Sithole, Chief Executive Officer of the National Institute for the Humanities and Social Sciences, during her keynote address at the launch of the Johannesburg Institute for Advanced Study Women’s Month Seminar Series on 6 August 2026.

The National Institute for the Humanities and Social Sciences (NIHSS) joined scholars, cultural leaders, members of the publishing and heritage communities, family and invited guests at the University of Pretoria on 10 June 2026 for the launch of Standing on the Top of the Highest Mountain: Becoming Buzetsheni Mdletshe, the Praise Singer of iSilo uZwelithini kaBhekuzulu. The publication, authored by Prof Nompumelelo Zondi and Ms Nelisiwe Zondi, with Buzetsheni Mdletshe, forms part of the NIHSS-funded Hidden Voices Project, a series dedicated to documenting and bringing into public knowledge the lives, histories and intellectual contributions of individuals whose voices have often remained outside formal archives. 

The National Institute for the Humanities and Social Sciences (NIHSS), in partnership with Freedom Park and African Revolutionary Internationalist, recently launched the South African Liberation History Educational Programme at Freedom Park Heritage Site in Pretoria. The initiative seeks to reconnect young people with the histories, ideas, struggles, and voices that shaped South Africa’s liberation journey, while encouraging deeper reflection on democracy, identity, and the role of historical memory in shaping the future.

The National Institute for the Humanities and Social Sciences (NIHSS) joins the higher education sector in congratulating Prof Mogomme Alpheus Masoga on his appointment as Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Teaching and Learning at the Central University of Technology (CUT), effective 1 August 2026.

Prof Masoga’s appointment reflects his longstanding contribution to scholarship, academic leadership, institutional transformation, and the advancement of the humanities and social sciences within South Africa and beyond.

The National Institute for the Humanities and Social Sciences (NIHSS) recently participated in the 3rd Eastern Cape Universities Postgraduate Funding Fair hosted at Rhodes University under the broader objective of strengthening access to postgraduate education and funding opportunities within the Eastern Cape region.

The Funding Fair brought together institutions including Nelson Mandela University, Walter Sisulu University, and University of Fort Hare, creating an important platform for engagement between postgraduate students, higher education institutions, and funding organisations.

CEO of the National Institute for the Humanities and Social Sciences (NIHSS), Prof Pearl Sithole, recently attended the 2026 World Digital Education Conference held in Hangzhou, China. Convened under the theme “AI + Education: Transformation, Development and Governance,” the conference brought together global education leaders, policymakers, researchers, and institutional representatives to explore the growing impact of artificial intelligence and digital technologies on education systems, governance, innovation, and future learning models.

CEO of the National Institute for the Humanities and Social Sciences (NIHSS), Prof Pearl Sithole, recently participated in the launch of the Journal of African Elections (JAE) Special Issue hosted by the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) in collaboration with the Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa (EISA) on 6 May 2026.

The Special Issue, titled Sustaining Multi-Party Democracy through Enhancing Political Funding in South Africa, convened scholars, electoral practitioners, policymakers, and governance stakeholders to reflect on the evolving dynamics between political funding, democratic participation, transparency, and institutional accountability within South Africa’s democratic landscape.