Professor Sunil Maharaj, Vice-Principal of Research, Innovation and Postgraduate Education at the University of Pretoria (UP), along with various UP representatives, recently met with Prof David Honys, member of the Council of the Czech Academy of Sciences (CAS), and delegates from the Embassy of the Czech Republic to discuss opportunities for collaboration between the two institutions.

Prof Maharaj facilitated the discussion and emphasised UP’s continuous efforts to cultivate global collaborations and partnerships, including within the European Union, with a focus on identifying areas of mutual academic interest and exploring the potential for establishing a formal partnership.

“The Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute, which we have been running for 25 years, is one of the biggest plant science institutes in South Africa,” Prof Maharaj said. “They are leaders in terms of research, with a number of the researchers in the Institute ranked in the top 1% of the most highly-cited researchers in the world by the Institute for Scientific Information (ISI). We also have a platform called Innovation Africa @UP, where we do cutting-edge research, particularly on forestry, agricultural and natural sciences.”

Prof Wolf-Dieter Schubert, Chair of Postgraduate Studies in UP’s Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology in the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, was part of the UP delegation. He and Prof Honys are optimistic about the research the CAS is doing on water management, land protection, land conservation, agricultural energy production and energy storage.  

UP and the CAS recognise the importance of global collaboration to advance scientific research and innovation. The partnership will allow for a transfer of skills and knowledge as doctorate students will get the opportunity to conduct research in world-class laboratories under excellent tutelage.

While no formal agreement was finalised, both parties expressed a desire to continue discussions about potential student/faculty workshops, collaborative research projects and other partnership opportunities, and establish a comprehensive roadmap for cooperation between the two institutions.