DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY

British Academy - UK-South Africa Bilateral Research Chair -International Science Partnerships Fund

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Description

This Chair in Digital Humanities will play a key role in building capacity; creating networks; and creating intellectual agendas, a multivalent humanistic platform, grounded outreach, and new modes of material engagement and interpretative frameworks. National Research Foundation (NRF) and the British Academy will work together to design a joint call with a focus on digital humanities. Digital humanities (DH) is a relatively emergent academic discipline in South Africa, however, South Africa's Department for Science & Innovation has identified it as a discipline that has great potential for growth and impact. Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) and National Research Foundation (NRF) therefore see an opportune moment for a catalytic intervention through this chair. The Chair will play an important role in supporting the development of an inclusive and active community of practice in Digital Humanities (DH) in South Africa, leveraging Digital Humanities (DH) champions in academia, building programmes for greater cross-disciplinary collaboration, establishing cross-disciplinary and multi-institutional training and development programmes, and creating a mentorship programme for newcomers to digital scholarship or for those who want to develop open educational resources for Digital Humanities. The focus for this chair could enable challenges to be tackled such as the integration of innovative technologies and interpretative methodologies such as big data and AI systems, 3D modelling, data mining, machine learning, AI and adding value to contemporary digital discussions of democracy. The Academy will work with National Research Foundation (NRF) to finalise a MoU and build to a joint call text with the expectation this will be launched in the new year with an award beginning in 2023-24. The award would be for 5 years in duration with the Academy's contribution being met in the first 2 years and National Research Foundation (NRF)'s contribution coming thereafter. The South African Research Chairs Initiative (SARChI) was established in 2006 and is designed to be a strategic intervention to increase research leadership, to develop research capacity, and stimulate the generation of new knowledge whilst significantly expanding South Africa's research base in a way that results in the realisation of South Africa’s transformation into a knowledge economy in which the generation of knowledge translates into socio-economic benefits. They are a significant instrument in South Africa's 'Decadal Plan' which is aligned to the SDGs through which National Research Foundation (NRF) is actively aiming to engage with international partners.

Objectives

The Chair in digital humanities will be expected to develop strategies to achieve its objectives around; How the humanities are necessary to the digital, including political and intellectual analysis of the role of the digital in modern society, and the relation between the visual and digital technologies. The development of digital tools and repositories to facilitate the collection, analysis and dissemination of humanities data. Chart and analyse textual data using software like topic modelling, natural language processing and data mining techniques to uncover patterns and discourses. The facilitation of collaborative cross-disciplinary research with scholars in other fields like computer science, informatics and engineering. Train researchers and students in digital tools and techniques all the while encouraging interdisciplinary research though workshops and seminars. Form partnerships with libraries and make available valuable digital collections. Digital humanities promises to advance scholarships into the humanities in new and exciting ways. The tools, technologies and techniques offer humanists a vast array of opportunities for expanding the scope and depth of research in the field. Digital humanities in all its facets will increase public engagement with humanities research through online platforms and make the study of humanities more accessible, integrated and impactful over time. The South African Research Chairs Initiative (SARChI) is one of National Research Foundation (NRF) 's flagship research excellence instruments that has been positively reviewed for its ability to stimulate additional impact. As a major South African initiative aiming to further develop South Africa's research base, collaboration with National Research Foundation (NRF) will enable the UK and South African researchers to develop partnerships in a key area of economic growth through the creative industries. The South African Research Chairs Initiative (SARChI) is designed by National Research Foundation (NRF) to strengthen and develop key areas that it has determined on for building its research capacity. The area for this chair will enable challenges to be tackled with UK partnership and leadership such as the integration of innovative technologies and interpretative methodologies such as big data and AI systems, 3D modelling, data mining, machine learning, AI and adding value to contemporary digital discussions of democracy

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Location

The country, countries or regions that benefit from this Programme.

South Africa

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