W-i-R aims to:

• Support women, especially black women, to develop and strengthen their research skills.

• Increase the number of women in postgraduate studies, academia, research and in leadership positions at South African tertiary and research institutions.

Objectives of W-i-R:

The main objectives of W-i-R are to:

• Gather and disseminate data and information on women researchers and their work environment at South African tertiary institutions.

• Encourage and facilitate networks and partnerships among women researchers at local, national and international levels.

• Facilitate the exchange of information and ideas on research and development.

• Lobby, with other partners, for policies and strategies that enable women to participate actively in the research domain.

• Monitor the impact of relevant national and institutional policies on funding and other research opportunities for women.

Activities

The following form the core of W-i-R activities:

• Conceptualizing and implementing strategic interventions that are in line with the recommendations of the Women-in-Research Audit.

• Supporting and commissioning research, which may include investigations into the factors that inhibit or promote women's advancement in research, academia and leadership.

• Facilitating partnerships:- W-i-R works in partnership with individuals, organisations, institutions and other constituencies who are interested in achieving increased representation of Women-in-Research production and management.

• Fostering collaboration: W-i-R fosters collaboration between early career researchers, post-graduate students and established women researchers. This includes efforts to design and implement a mentorship programme that would draw both less and more experienced women researchers and academics into research capacity development activities. A report is available which outlines the proceedings of a national workshop hosted by the Women in Research programme in February 2000. The workshop was attended by women academics and researchers in the higher education system and was intended to generate discussion and feedback on a draft proposal for the establishment of a national mentorship programme for women researchers.

• Soliciting applications from women researchers for NRF funding. Resources on research proposal writing are available from the Yenza! site.

• Facilitating the establishment of networks and information exchange:- W-i-R promotes open and active communication amongst women researchers in the hope that this will also facilitate the establishment of regional networks.

• Supporting the development of gender-aware curricula:- W-i-R supports the development of curricula that reflect the experiences of women and men within the different disciplines by the providing support to gender studies initiatives at South African universities and technikons.

• Workshops, seminars, and conferences:- W-i-R facilitates and holds workshops, seminars and conferences on issues pertinent to the objectives of the project.

Women-in-Research (W-i-R) was established in 1996 as a project within the Research Capacity Development (RCD) directorate of the then Centre for Science Development (CSD).