In keeping with the ideals emerging from our interactions with distinguished members of the intellectual and policy community at our launch in March 2011, the financial year 2012/13 has seen MISTRA extend its reach and activities.

Progress has been made in our eight priority research projects with the first research report on The art, philosophy and science of football in South Africa released in November 2012. Contained in the experience of this project are critical markers that define the MISTRA proposition: co-operation among scientists, policy-makers, and practitioners in a transdisciplinary enterprise; colloquia, workshops and targeted field work and
case studies; the involvement of the South African Football Association (SAFA) leadership at the launch; the partnership between MISTRA and the SAFA Development Agency in bringing the research findings to life; and efforts to build a network of researchers across the country to drill deeper into some of the sub-themes.

At the end of the financial year, the other priority research projects were at various stages of completion, with reports due to be released in a staggered fashion during the rest of 2013. Given the expertise abroad in our country and the rigour of the research process, we are confident that the outcomes will add to the body of
knowledge in South Africa and further afield.

Strategic reflections in this period have included our inaugural Annual Lecture, roundtables and conferences with various partners to interrogate issues such as employment statistics, the global challenge of inequality and preparations for Rio+20, as well as a variety of public engagements by MISTRA researchers. The public events have brought together a range of local and international thought leaders and facilitated interactions with students and other young people hungry for meaningful intellectual engagement.

MISTRA has also upgraded its consultancy functions and it has, during the course of the year, provided advice to a variety of public and private sector organisations. One highlight of this is the work we did with the Department of Arts and Culture to develop a strategic framework for the country’s efforts to forge social cohesion and provide content services at the Social Cohesion Summit which was held in July 2012.

In addition to the domestic network of intellectuals, MISTRA has started forging partnerships with universities and research institutes in Africa and other parts of the globe. These partnerships are proving critical in enriching MISTRA’s research efforts, including in the exchange of ideas and peer review of MISTRA’s research outputs.