UMP-Oppenheimer Research Chair in Biodiversity Conservation
The University of Mpumalanga (UMP) has marked a major milestone in its research journey with the establishment of the UMP-Oppenheimer Research Chair in Biodiversity Conservation.
This prestigious Chair is the result of a visionary partnership between UMP and the Benjamin Raymond Oppenheimer (BRO) Trust, through Oppenheimer Generations Research and Conservation (OGRC). The multi-year, multi-million Rand co-investment reflects a shared commitment to shaping a sustainable future through world-class conservation research, postgraduate training, and evidence-based policy innovation.
Appointed as the inaugural Chairholder is Professor Dan Parker, an NRF-rated wildlife biologist in the School of Biology and Environmental Sciences at UMP. With a track record of impactful research and mentorship, Prof. Parker is leading a dynamic, interdisciplinary team focused on habitat restoration, species conservation, and the biodiversity impacts of climate change.
Established in 2025, and working with a network of local and international collaborators, the Chair has initiated 17 dedicated research projects spanning South Africa, Namibia, and Zimbabwe. These projects collectively support 15 Master’s and PhD students, with additional projects and collaborations already in development.
The research portfolio spans a wide ecological spectrum—from carnivore conservation to savanna restoration—and blends field ecology, conservation genetics, and the social sciences to drive holistic, solutions-based research. The Chair also draws on UMP’s world-class infrastructure, strengthening the University’s growing reputation as an emerging hub for cutting-edge science.
The UMP-Oppenheimer Research Chair stands as a beacon of innovation, collaboration, and academic excellence—anchored in Mpumalanga, with a footprint across southern Africa and a vision for global impact.
South Africa–German Bilateral Research Chair in Sustainable and Resilient Food Systems for Food Security (SARChI SuReFoodS)
The University of Mpumalanga (UMP) is advancing its global research profile through the South Africa–German Bilateral Research Chair in Sustainable and Resilient Food Systems (SuReFoodS).
The Chair is embedded within the African-German Centre for Sustainable and Resilient Food Systems and Applied Agricultural and Food Data Science, known as UKUDLA (a Zulu word for “Food”). UKUDLA is funded by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and the NRF, and led by the University of Hohenheim, with African partners including the University of the Western Cape, University of Pretoria, and Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources. UMP serves as an associate partner.
As part of its mandate within UKUDLA, UMP secured the SuReFoodS Chair through the National Research Foundation under the South African Research Chairs Initiative (SARChI), which addresses critical skills shortages in Science, Engineering and Technology while advancing research excellence, socio-economic development, and sustainable livelihoods.
Led by Prof Lembe Magwaza, an NRF-rated plant scientist, this Tier 1 Chair positions UMP and the Mpumalanga Province as a living laboratory for transforming agrifood systems in response to climate change, resource constraints, and growing food demand. The programme integrates regenerative agriculture, plant physiology, postharvest science, and digital agriculture within a systems-based, data-driven framework.
Established in 2026, the Chair operates across the Mpumalanga, Limpopo and KwaZulu-Natal provinces, providing real-world platforms to improve productivity, reduce postharvest losses, and strengthen climate resilience across food value chains. Situated within South Africa’s major tropical and subtropical production regions, the programme is strategically positioned near key citrus, avocado, macadamia, mango, litchi, and sugar production zones, as well as the newly established Mpumalanga International Fresh Produce Market.
Strong stakeholder integration underpins the Chair’s activities, including collaboration with the Agricultural Research Council, smallholder and commercial farmers, government structures, policymakers, and commodity organisations such as the South African Avocado Growers’ Association, Citrus Growers’ Association, Macadamias South Africa, South African Mango Growers’ Association, South African Litchi Growers’ Association, and South African Sugar Association, among others.
Through these partnerships, the Chair bridges research, industry, and policy to drive innovation, technology adoption, and inclusive participation across agrifood value chains. SARChI SuReFoodS stands as a flagship initiative advancing sustainable and resilient food systems from Mpumalanga to the global stage.