Workshop on Health Research at Stellenbosch, Cape Town

Stellenbosch University and SINTEF Health Research organised a joint health research workshop in Somerset West on 5th and 6th December 2006 

From left to right: Prof Albert van Jaarsveld, Dean at Faculty of Science, Prof Arne H. Eide, Vice President Research at SINTEF Health Research, Prof Petra Engelbrecht, Senior Director for Research at Stellenbosch, Dr Åge Thunem, Excecutive Vice President at  SINTEF ICT and Prof Jimmy Volmink, Vice-Dean at Faculty of Health Sciences at Stellenbosch University. Photo: Anton Jordaan (SSFD)

 “The idea of the workshop is for researchers in different sub-disciplines to meet, discuss and develop joint research projects which will be submitted for funding to relevant sources. While different sources for funding will be explored, the main aim is to prepare for participation in the European Union’s 7th Research Program. The workshop is by invitation only and approximately 40 to 50 participants have been invited,” says Prof Petra Engelbrecht, Senior Director: Research at Stellenbosch University. 
Read news artcle at Stellenbosch website.

Stellenbosch University and SINTEF are both research institutions with extensive experience of international research collaboration and further ambitions to extend this activity in the years to come. SINTEF Health Research has been engaged in Southern Africa for more than a decade, primarily in the field of disability studies and rehabilitation. Stellenbosch University and SINTEF are both convinced that establishing and developing a long-term collaborative partnership will contribute positively to research and development in South Africa and in the Southern African Region.

Collaboration between Stellenbosch University and SINTEF has already been initiated within the area of disability studies. In order to develop collaboration between South African and Norwegian researchers further, the joint research workshop aim at bringing researchers from the two countries together to discuss and develop concrete plans for research programs within selected areas. We have agreed to explore possibilities for collaboration within the following research areas:

• Disability
• Mental Health
• Health Services
• Medical Technology
• Health Technology / SmartWear 

Small teams with two-three researchers from SINTEF, Stellenbosch University and possibly other collaborating universities are established to identify areas of common interest and potential collaboration. The workshop in December is a start on a process that ideally should lead to concrete project proposals.

The project proposals will be submitted for funding to relevant sources:

• The South Africa – Norway Program for research co-operation
• The Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation's fund for research collaboration
• EU's 7th Framework program
• The Regional research and development market
• Strategic funding form SINTEF and Stellenbosch University