Call for applications: DHET Future Professors Programme

Dear colleagues

The Department of Higher Education and Training’s (DHET) Future Professors Programme (FPP) prepares promising early and mid-career academics to advance to the level of professor across the disciplines. As such, this call seeks to identify the country’s most talented young academics to benefit from a structured and intense programme aimed at accelerating their readiness for the professoriate.

Academic staff are encouraged to apply for this opportunity. In terms of the summarised criteria, a candidate should:

• hold a doctorate
• have demonstrable evidence of some academic achievement (signalling advancement towards the senior ranks of the academy in their scholarly work), and
• be permanently employed in an academic capacity, or an equivalent academic appointment.

The following may strengthen the likelihood of selection, however, these are not exclusive requirements for applying:

• black and women scholars
• lecturers and senior lecturers, and/or
• an NRF rating or similar scholarly standing.

Once applications are received, an internal selection process will follow, where a maximum of five nominees will be submitted to the DHET for consideration.

• Read more about the details on the application process.
• Download the application form.

Please note: Applications that do not follow the requirements outlined in the application process will be deemed incomplete and will not be submitted to the selection panel for consideration.

The outcome of your application will be communicated by the university once the DHET has made its final selection. Successful candidates will commence the programme in January 2026.

The deadline for submission is 25 February 2025. Please email your application to the University Capacity Development Programme team.

Please direct any further questions to Dheshnie Keswell or Lisa Cloete.

Communication and Marketing Department

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