The National Institute for the Humanities and Social Sciences (NIHSS) recently held a National Doctoral Workshop in Gauteng, Birchwood Hotel and Conference Centre, on 29 to 30 July 2015. The workshop was held over two days and was attended by 282 NIHSS-SAHUDA and NIHSS-CODESRIA doctoral students. The doctoral students represented 17 participating universities across South Africa. National Doctoral Workshop participants also included representatives from the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), National Skills Fund (NSF), National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), publishers, international speakers, humanities and social science researchers from a wide range of institutions. The workshop served not only as a platform for debate and discussions regarding the state and future of the Humanities and Social Sciences (HSS) in South Africa and Africa, but also as a launchpad for the NIHSS Doctoral Schools Programme. Through its mentor-student centred sessions, it also provided an opportunity for doctoral students to network, share information and collective experiences; while also interacting with funding agencies, established NIHSS Catalytic Project leaders and Regional Doctoral Schools mentors.

The workshop programme consisted of plenary presentations, structured breakaway sessions and the exhibition of books and journals by an international publishing company. The first day of the workshop included path breaking presentations from partners such SAHUDA and CODESRIA interrogating the state of affairs, epistemological and methodological gaps and the future of HSS field.

The following guest speakers made insightful presentations at the workshop: