Cultural Observatory announces 2024 scholarship & bursaries
THE SOUTH African Cultural Observatory (SACO) announced the opening of its 2024 scholarship and bursary season, with over R500 000 allocated to young scholars wanting to pursue honours, masters and doctoral studies next year.
The research undertaken must fall within the scope of SACO’s work in the cultural economy, cultural and creative industries and/or related sectors, the research centre said.
The SACO scholarship and bursary scheme has been running for the past two years now with nine awards issued to students across the country, studying at the following institutions:
- University of Johannesburg
- University of Witwatersrand
- Cape Peninsula University of Technology
- Tshwane University of Technology
- Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University
- Rhodes University
“We are hoping to award a minimum of six and a maximum of eleven scholarships and bursaries in early February, in time for the starts of the academic year,” said Professor Richard Haines, SACO Chief Executive.
“Our scholarship and bursary programme is meant to support existing studies and complement funding sourced from other awards. We are mainly looking for students interested in pursuing a post graduate degree related to arts, culture and heritage.”
The Department of Arts and Culture (DAC) established the SACO with the primary objective of advancing research in the field of cultural information systems. The SACO – a national research centre hosted by Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, in partnership with Rhodes University and the University of Fort Hare – supports the collection and analysis of data, in?uences policy, shares insights and builds on intellectual capacity across the arts, culture and heritage sectors.
It works across the breadth of all cultural domains, including the arts, heritage, tourism, museums, libraries, archives and the creative industries.
“As DAC’s informative ‘nerve centre’ – providing the strategic vision and the organising principle to develop cultural indicators and information systems appropriate to the South African context and collection of statistics based on the sector needs – our scholarship programme supports this by generating both qualitative, quantitative and mixed research.”
The scholarship and bursary programme targetsSouth African citizens and students who:
- Obtained an average of 65% in the preceding degree;
- Are registered at a South African university for 2024;
- Are registered for full-time or part-time studies; and
- Are interested in studies relating to the field of Arts, Culture and Heritage.
Priority will be given to designated groups.
Scholarship/bursary is awarded for a maximum of two years to be distributed to the student by the recipient university.
SCHOLARSHIP VALUES
- Honours degree – R30 000 Academic supervisor to apply on behalf of student
- Research Master’s Degree
- Part-Time – R30 000
- Full-Time -R80 000
- Coursework Master’s Degree
- Part-Time –R30 000
- Full-Time – R80 000
- Doctorate Degree
- Part-Time – R40 000
- Full-Time – R100 000
All applications must be submitted on the SACO website by Tuesday 31 January 2024 at 4pm: www.southafricanculturalobservatory.co.za/scholarship-application. For enquires: contact ntombizodwa.mashologu@nmmu.ac.za or SACO office on 041 504 4930.