The North-West University (NWU) has achieved Platinum Tier certification in Good Financial Grant Practice (GFGP), placing the institution among a small group of South African universities recognised for meeting the highest international standards in research grant governance and financial accountability.
The certification, effective from March 2026, follows a process led by Research and Postgraduate Support (RPS) to demonstrate the university’s compliance with globally recognised grant management standards. The achievement forms part of the NWU’s broader strategy to strengthen its position in attracting large-scale research funding and expanding international research partnerships.
Good Financial Grant Practice is an internationally recognised framework developed to assess whether institutions have the systems, governance structures, financial controls and operational processes needed to manage research funding responsibly and transparently. The standard was developed through the African Academy of Sciences and the African Organisation for Standardisation, with input from major global funding bodies and development partners.
The GFGP framework evaluates institutions across four core areas: financial management, human resources, procurement and governance. Certification is awarded across four tiers — Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum — depending on the complexity of funding an institution can responsibly manage. Platinum represents the highest level of compliance.
The NWU is the third university in South Africa to achieve Platinum Tier status, following the achievements of the University of the Free State and the University of South Africa.
According to Prof. Nnenesi Kgabi, Chief Director of Research and Postgraduate Support at the NWU, the certification strengthens institutional credibility in an increasingly competitive global funding environment.
“Platinum certification is crucial to the NWU because it reinforces the credibility of the university and strengthens the trust that major global funders can place in us. It demonstrates that external funders can rely on the institution to manage grants responsibly, while also trusting our researchers to lead major research programmes and collaborative projects. Achieving this status places the NWU among a select group of institutions operating at the highest recognised level of grant management accountability,” she explains.
“Research excellence is not only defined by the quality of ideas, but also by the systems that support them,” says Prof. Jeffrey Mphahlele, Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research and Innovation, Community Engagement and Postgraduate Studies at the NWU. “Achieving Platinum Tier GFGP certification signals that the NWU has the governance, accountability and institutional maturity required to compete for and manage large-scale international research funding. It strengthens our position as a trusted global research partner and creates greater opportunities for our researchers to lead impactful, collaborative projects that address societal challenges.”
The certification is expected to improve the NWU’s competitiveness when applying for large-scale grants, consortium funding and international collaborative projects. Funders increasingly seek assurance that institutions can demonstrate transparent financial systems and strong governance structures before awarding substantial research grants.
Globally, GFGP certification serves as a common standard that reduces the need for repeated due diligence assessments by different funders. Institutions that achieve certification can demonstrate verified compliance through an independent audit process conducted by licensed certification bodies. Successful organisations are then listed in a searchable database used by funders during grant assessment processes.
The NWU Principal and Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Mzubanzi Bismark Tyobeka, congratulated Research and Postgraduate Support for initiating and driving the certification process, as it strengthens the university’s standing as a trusted partner capable of managing complex, multi-partner research programmes across disciplines.
Prof. Tyobeka also said: “The achievement reinforces the NWU’s commitment to accountability, governance and research excellence, while strengthening its ability to compete in an increasingly competitive global funding landscape.”
Prof. Jeffrey Mphahlele, Prof. Nnenesi Kgabi and Prof. Bismark Tyobeka.
