Univen leads the way with a sustainable grants management system for higher education
The University of Venda (UNIVEN) hosted a customised workshop under the University Led-University Capacity Development Programme (UL-UCDP) on grants management, held at the Birchwood Hotel, Oliver Reginald (OR) Tambo Conference Centre in Johannesburg from 22–24 April 2026. The event focused on strategic and operational grants management, aiming to build an effective end-to-end system to enhance grant management practices within higher education institutions. The workshop was led by UNIVEN and featured contributions from key participants, with emphasis on developing sustainable, efficient processes for grants management that can benefit the university and the broader community.
Introduction
The University of Venda (UNIVEN) recently hosted a customised workshop for the University Led-University Capacity Development Programme (UL-UCDP) Project on Grants Management. The programme took place at the Birchwood Hotel, Oliver Reginald (OR) Tambo Conference Centre in Johannesburg from 22 to 24 April 2026, under the theme: Strategic and Operational Grants Management: Building an Effective End-to-End System for…
Detailed list
- Place: Birchwood Hotel, Oliver Reginald (OR) Tambo Conference Centre, Johannesburg
- Dates: 22–24 April 2026
- Event: Customised Workshop on the UL-UCDP Project on Grants Management
- Date of reporting: 2026
- Organiser: University of Venda (UNIVEN)
- Theme: Strategic and Operational Grants Management: Building an Effective End-to-End System
- Story provided by: Vhonani Maumela
- Participants: University staff and partners involved in grants management initiatives
A simple well written article
The University of Venda hosted a focused workshop as part of the UL-UCDP Project aimed at strengthening grants management across higher education. The event took place over three days at the Birchwood Hotel in Johannesburg, providing a space for university leaders, researchers, and finance specialists to align on how to manage grants more effectively from proposal to reporting. Attendees explored strategic approaches to securing funding, tracking progress, and ensuring compliance with funder requirements. The workshop emphasised creating a seamless end-to-end system that improves transparency, efficiency, and accountability in grant administration.
The gathering served as a platform to share best practices, assess current systems, and identify gaps that hinder optimal grants management at UNIVEN and possibly beyond. Participants discussed governance structures, risk management, data collection, performance monitoring, and reporting processes designed to streamline operations and reduce administrative bottlenecks. By the end of the workshop, delegates outlined steps for implementing enhanced processes, including clear roles and responsibilities, standardized procedures, and stronger collaboration among departments involved in grants management.
The benefits to the community include more effective allocation of grant funds, faster execution of funded projects, and improved reporting to funders which can boost confidence in UNIVEN as a responsible recipient of research and development grants. The enhanced end-to-end system is expected to reduce duplication of effort, improve financial stewardship, and support researchers in delivering outcomes that can positively impact the community and wider society. Community members and potential beneficiaries may participate by engaging with UNIVEN during grant-related outreach, attending information sessions, and contributing feedback to help shape more accessible and transparent grant management practices.
For more information and ongoing updates from UNIVEN, visit the source at https://www.univen.ac.za/news/univen-is-at-the-forefront-of-building-sustainable-grants-management-systems-in-higher-education/ and explore broader news coverage at https://www.univen.ac.za/news/.
