Background

As a result of the merger between two higher education institutions, UJ has benefited from a large pool of researchers bringing together various fields of expertise and research focus areas. The University provides the ideal ground for interdisciplinary research. Research groups and units working across faculty and department borders have been established. It also collaborates with several national and international academic and industrial partners.

The generation of new knowledge lies at the heart of a university. At UJ, creating an environment in which research can flourish is a top priority. Significant investments have been made to strengthen and develop existing research centres and also to enable faculties to create new research centres. 

The University never loses sight of its social accountability and research is conducted across all disciplines in the interest of a better society for all. Some of the many research projects that attest to this are those on water quality and the industrial and domestic usage of water; the therapeutic value of low-level laser therapy; indigenous South African plants and their medical value; information technology and the synthesis of a variety of antiviral compounds. Another special example is the renewable energy research project on phtovoltaics that could change the lives of millions of South Africans who are currently without energy resources. In this project, innovative technology was developed and solar energy cells can now be produced far more cheaply and with greater efficiency levels than before.