Annual Research Report 2020

48 • Each Department in the School has developed a research plan, identifying research interests and integrating them into the School research niche and focus areas. • Strategic research partnership with the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI). • Postdoctoral fellow position, which happens to be the very first for SPU. • Significant progress towards the establishment of research centres has been made. The School applied for a grant to host the NRF-funded Global Change: Risk and Vulnerability Science Centre (RVSC). The business plan was approved by SPU and was well received by the NRF. • Academic staff of the School published a total of 19 peer-re- viewed papers. • The School successfully hosted an international conference in November: 2nd Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) International Multidisciplinary Information Technology and Engineering Conference (IMITEC) 2020. NAS contributed to the conference with 20 peer-reviewed conference papers. The year 2021 holds much promise as the School begins to strengthen and consolidate its research objectives. The following are among the key areas that the School will be driving: • Establish the RVSC by setting up the Centre at SPU in terms of infrastructural space and human resources, including develop- ing overarching research thrusts and aligning research groups with the subject of research projects. • Consolidating the School’s postdoctoral fellowship programme by advertising and appointing a new postdoctoral fellow for 2022. • Increase third-stream income through research partnerships. • Improve on the number of peer-reviewed publications. • Increase the honours uptake in preparation of the MSc pro- gramme starting in 2022.