Samuel Fongwa

Research and policy professional with more than a decade of experience in academic and policy-relevant research, project management, capacity development and stakeholder engagement across higher education, skills development, graduate employability and labour-market-related research. Experienced in leading multi-country and multi-institutional research projects, developing research proposals, coordinating research teams, supervising postgraduate researchers, producing policy-facing reports and translating evidence for diverse audiences. Strong foundation in quantitative and qualitative research design and analysis, with experience using SPSS and ATLAS.ti.

Program Officer — Training, Grants and Fellowships - Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (CODESRIA) - Senegal

(2023-06 - 2026-09)

• Support capacity development and training of African academics through methodology workshops.
• Manage and support research grants and fellowships that strengthen higher education research capacity across Africa.
• Coordinate institutional and individual partnerships and stakeholder engagements with universities, research organizations, funders and development partners.
• Support research dissemination, collaboration and knowledge exchange across diverse institutional and national contexts.

Research Fellow - University of the Free State (UFS) - South Africa

(2020-07)

• Supervise postgraduate students and contribute to research and knowledge projects within the Centre for Development Support.
• Contribute to research design, analysis, publications and knowledge dissemination in higher education, development and regional socioeconomic development.

Senior Research Specialist — Equitable Education and Economies Unit - Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) - Pretoria, South Africa

(2016-07 - 2023-05)

• Develop education-related research funding proposals and manage research projects from conceptualization through implementation and dissemination.
• Lead research teams conducting academic and policy-relevant research in South Africa and across Africa.
• Conduct quantitative and qualitative research and contribute to evidence-based policy analysis and reporting.
• Engage government, public agencies, universities and other stakeholders in research projects and dissemination activities.

Consultant - OSMOZ Consulting - Johannesburg, South Africa

(2018-03 - 2023-12)

• Coordinate and lead research proposal development and project implementation.
• Provide methodology and research-publication training to master's and doctoral students at South African universities.
• Support research dissemination through workshops and policy briefs.

Researcher & Project Manager - Centre for Researching Higher Education and Development, University of the Free State - Bloemfontein, South Africa

(2013-05 - 2016-07)

• Researcher and project manager on a British Council-funded graduate employability project covering four South African universities and four African countries.
• Coordinate seminars and research-development activities for doctoral and post-doctoral students.
• Contribute to research on higher education, graduate outcomes, employability and inclusive development.

Senior Research Officer - Directorate for Institutional Research and Academic Planning, University of the Free State - Bloemfontein, South Africa

(2012-02 - 2013-04)

• Coordinated a project profiling higher education across Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries, with a focus on Francophone countries.
• Supported comparative research, data gathering, analysis and reporting for institutional and regional higher education planning.

PhD - Development Studies - University of the Free State (2010-08 - 2013-12)

Master's — Cum Laude - Higher Education Studies - University of the Western Cape (2008-01 - 2010-06)

BA Honours - Development Studies - University of the Western Cape (2007-02 - 2007-11)

B.Sc. Hons.

• Environmental Science / Geology - University of Buea, Cameroon (2001-10 - 2006-09)