Therina Theron (PhD, Medical Biochemistry) is Senior Director: Research and Innovation (R&I) at Stellenbosch University since October 2008. She was previously employed as senior research manager at the University of Cape Town (UCT), and as Postdoctoral Research fellow at Sussex University in the UK. She completed the Oxford University Advanced Management and Leadership Programme (OAMLP) in November 2024. Her current role involves research-related strategic planning and leadership, policy formulation and advocacy, and the development of effective R&I support systems at SU.

 

Therina has served in several leadership roles in the research and innovation management field at national, regional and international levels, e.g., as President of the Southern African Research and Innovation Management Association (SARIMA) (2020-2021), SARIMA ExCo member (2018-2023), member of the International Network of Research Management Societies (INORMS) Council (2021-2023), Chair of the INORMS 2023 congress (May 2023), and as Co-Chair of the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU) Supporting Research Community (current). She served as principal investigator of the EU Erasmus+ funded StoRM (Strengthening of Research Management) project focused on capacity development of RMA professionals in Southern Africa and the EU, and as module coordinator and lecturer on a Postgraduate Diploma in Research Management and Administration (RMA). She has co-authored and presented several research management related conference presentations, workshops and publications and served as regional editor (Africa) of The Emerald Handbook of Research Management and Administration Around the World.