The HSRC also seeks to contribute to the research and development strategy of the HSRC's parent Department of Science and Technology, especially through its mission to focus on the contribution of science and technology to addressing poverty. The HSRC originates in the National Bureau of Education and Social Research. In recent years the HSRC has undergone major restructuring, aligning its research activities and structures to South Africa's national development priorities: notably poverty reduction through economic development, skills enhancement, job creation, the elimination of discrimination and inequalities, and effective service delivery. In essence, the HSRC is looking at the following broad dimensions of Poverty, Inequality and Inclusive Development under the following banners, which are:
Social Development: including well-being, human capabilities, social relationships, social institutions and cohesion ;
Governance and Decision-making: including political participation, democracy, trust-building, nurturing legitimacy in public structures, capacity-building in the state, enhancing leadership, distributing power, accountability, responsiveness, social movements, multi-level government and coordinated decision-making.
Organisation
It currently comprises more than 200 researchers and 250 support staff in five different locations, across several multi-disciplinary research programmes, namely:
Africa Institute of South Africa
BRICS Research Centre
Centre for Science, Technology and Innovation Indicators
The HSRC is a statutory body which was established in 1968; its current CEO is Prof. Crain Soudien. The HSRC's scholarly publisher, the , is South Africa's largest academic publisher focused on social sciences and humanities.
Rated and other notable current and former researchers
Leslie Bank, current Deputy Executive Director: EPD, Professor extraordinaire at Walter Sisulu University
Peter Jacobs, current Research Director: EPD, NRF-rated researcher
Glenda Kruss van der Heever, current Director of CeSTII, NRF-rated researcher
Thierry Luescher, current Research Director: ESD, NRF-rated researcher
Musawenkosi Mabaso, current Chief Research Specialist: PHHSI, NRF-rated researcher
Sylvester Maphosa, current Chief Research Specialist in AISA, NRF-rated researcher
Sizulu Moyo, current Research Director: PHHSI, NRF-rated researcher
Priscilla Reddy, current Deputy Executive Director: PHHSI, NRF-rated researcher
Vijay Reddy, former Executive Director: ESD, current Distinguished Research Fellow
Tamsen Rochat, current Chief Research Specialist: HSD, NRF-rated researcher
Olive Shisana, former CEO of the HSRC, Counsellor of the Order of the Baobab
Leickness Simbayi, current Deputy CEO of the HSRC, NRF-rated researcher
Crain Soudien, Emeritus Professor in Education and African Studies, former Deputy Vice-chancellor: University of Cape Town, current CEO of the HSRC, NRF-rated researcher
Sharlene Swartz, current Executive Director: ESD, NRF-rated researcher
Ivan Turok, current Executive Director: EPD, son of South African politician Ben Turok, NRF-rated researcher
Alastair van Heerden, Research Director: HSC, honorary associate professor at University of the Witwatersrand, NRF-rated researcher
Heidi van Rooyen, current Executive Director: HSD, honorary professor at University of the Witwatersrand, NRF-rated researcher
