The following Research Chairs were awarded to the University:

1. Sustainable Malaria Control
2. Tax Policy and Governance
3. Mathematical Models and Methods in Bioengineering and Biosciences
4. Advanced Sensor Networks

Science and Technology Minister Naledi Pandor announced that a total of 60 new Research Chairs have been awarded to various institutions of higher learning to strengthen the country’s universities to produce high-quality postgraduate students, research and innovation outputs. This objective aligns well with the University of Pretoria’s ambition of becoming the leading research-intensive university on the African continent.

In awarding the Chairs, special consideration was given to the universities of technology, rural-based institutions and institutions that have not previously participated in the South African Research Chairs Initiative. Universities like UP, the University of Cape Town (UCT) and the University of Johannesburg (UJ) accordingly received only four Chairs each.