1.0 Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to ensure that students recruited on Science for Africa (SFA) Foundation grants are provided with high-quality and reliable supervision including when supervisors move from their institutions. The policy further provides guidance on the role and responsibilities of supervisors involved the training of students, and SFA Foundation’ expectations on managing supervisors by individuals and institutions receiving SFA Foundation grants.

2.0 Supervisor Obligations

2.1 Broad Responsibilities of Supervisors

A supervisor has day-to-day interaction with the student and has immediate responsibility for the direction of the research. He or she is also primarily responsible for meeting the training needs of the student and, where the student is registered for a higher degree, the supervisor is normally the person recognised as the higher degree supervisor by the host institution.

3.0 Grantee Obligations

3.1 Supervisors

SFA Foundation grantees, working through relevant programme governance structures, have the responsibility to appoint qualified and competent supervisors for all recruited fellows on their grants.

3.2 Number of Supervisors

PI’s are required to issue appointment letters clearly stating their roles, responsibilities and expectations of the degree awarding institutions. The number of supervisors per SFA Foundation funded student should not exceed three unless justification for consideration is provided.

3.3 Appointments and Replacements of Supervisors on SFA Foundation Grants

• The supervisor is required to have a position or guaranteed tenure in his or her post for the duration of the grant and the institution must be able to guarantee continued supervision of the student should the supervisor leave or be unable to act;
• The Principle Investigator (PI) must also be in a position either to take over the supervision directly or undertake to identify another supervisor suitable and willing to take over the training of the fellow/student within two months of supervisor departure;
• Departing supervisors should produce a status report of their supervision activities clearly stating what has been achieved, what still requires to be achieved.

3.4 Progress Monitoring and Reporting

SFA Foundation grantees are required to develop and implement systems for tracking and monitoring the supervision of SFA Foundation students.

3.5 Supervisor’s Salaries

Supervisors on SFA Foundation grants should be paid by their current employer, either grant holding institution or degree awarding institution, and not through the SFA Foundation grant.

For any queries on this policy, please contact [email protected]