Facilitator: Dr Rakeshnie Ramoutar-Prieschl is the Director of Internationalisation and Strategic Partnerships at the University of Pretoria, where she leads a dynamic portfolio encompassing 18 global networks, 232 institutional partnerships, and a diverse community of more than 4 000 international students representing over 100 countries. She is also the architect and driving force behind the annual UP Women in Science event, a flagship initiative celebrating and advancing the achievements of women in STEMI disciplines.
Previously, Dr Ramoutar-Prieschl served as Deputy Director-General: Technology and Innovation at the Department of Science and Innovation. There, she provided executive oversight of critical national sectors including Bio-innovation, Space Science, Intellectual Property Management, Hydrogen and Energy, and Innovation Priority Instruments, shaping South Africa’s science, technology and innovation agenda at the highest policy level. Prior to joining the University of Pretoria, she led the Research Infrastructure Portfolio at the National Research Foundation for over 11 years, where she played a pivotal role in developing national policies and strategic frameworks foundational to South Africa’s research infrastructure platforms. Throughout her career, Dr Ramoutar-Prieschl has championed research capacity development across African universities. She has mentored leaders and strengthened institutional systems in research excellence, ethics, and grants management, contributing to international training programmes led by the African Academy of Sciences, the Association of African Universities, and the UK Association of Research Managers and Administrators. In recognition of her distinguished service to research management on the continent, she received the 2022 SARIMA Excellence Award for Making a Distinguished Contribution to Research Management, affirming her sustained impact on advancing science, innovation and institutional leadership in Africa and beyond.