The Committee of Head of Organisation of Research and Technology (COHORT) elected Ms Jansie Niehaus, NSTF Executive Director, as Chairperson on 6 April 2022. A new Executive Committee was also appointed:
- Dr Litha Magingxa, Agricultural Research Council (ARC)
- Prof Himla Soodyall, Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf)
- Ms Jansie Niehaus, National Science and Technology Forum (NSTF)
- Ms Jodi Scholtz, South African Bureau of Standards (SABS)
- Prof Fulufhelo Nelwamondo, National Research Foundation of South Africa (NRF) (not in the photograph)
The vision of The Committee of Heads of Organisations of Research and Technology (COHORT) is to be the national forum for the heads of organisations of science, research and technology, that leverages their collective strengths in developing a culture of innovation and science for society in South Africa.
The COHORT represents the leadership of professional research and technology organisations that offer impartial and trustworthy services to the research community, as well as the private and public sector.
The membership of COHORT consists of the Chief Executives or, where this is not possible, a senior representative of science councils or any other organ of state with a mandate to perform and/ or support science, technology, and innovation.
The current membership of COHORT comprises the following organisations and any other state organisation in the research, development, science and technology space in South Africa:
- Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf)
- Agricultural Research Council (ARC)
- Council for GeoScience (CGS)
- Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)
- Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC)
- Medical Research Council (MRC)
- MINTEK
- National Advisory Council on Innovation (NACI)
- National Health and Laboratory Services (NHLS)
- National Research Foundation (NRF)
- National Science and Technology Forum (NSTF)
- South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa)
- South African Bureau of Standards (SABS)
- South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI)
- South African National Space Agency (SANSA)
- South African Weather Service (SAWS)
- Technology Innovation Agency (TIA)
- Water Research Commission (WRC)
- The Innovation Hub