The Council of Advisors consist of highly respected South Africans who act as an advisory reference group on the broad direction of the Institute’s work – contributing to the strategic content of its endeavours and enhancing the promotion of the Institute’s profile domestically and internationally and assisting in building partnerships in South Africa, on the continent and globally.

The Board of Governors has a mandate to exercise oversight on matters of governance. The Board exercises fiduciary responsibility in relation to the Institute by ensuring that the Institute operates in accordance with its relevant laws, regulations, and corporate governance principles and Memorandum of incorporation. Its general mandate is to supervise management of the Institute and ensure that the best interests of the Institute are served.

The Management Committee consists of the Research, Project Management and Operations Directorates. The management committee members are represented by the Executive Director, Director Research, Director Project Management, Director Operations, Financial Manager and Company Secretary.

The research work of the Institute is conducted through three Faculties and a Project Management Directorate that manages all commissioned research. Both divisions operate in a transdisciplinary manner as well as cross-cutting undertakings including Prospective and Longitudinal studies.

This faculty deals with socio-economic issues and their intersection with the social structure of South African society and politics. Its remit incorporates the structure of the South African economy and the impact of globalisation on the region and South Africa.

This faculty deals with the logics of natural sciences and their relevance for social development, including such issues as discovery, invention and innovation, incubation, adaptation, appropriation and quantitative analysis.

This faculty interrogates the advance of human civilisation including human thought, encompassing history, arts and culture and broad issues such as ideology and religion – in relation to societal development – at national and supra-national levels.

The project management directorate undertakes commissioned research and consultancy work. These include long-term strategic forecasting for sectors of the economy, through Scenarios Planning, strategic research on policy issues, short-term inputs into on-going work, country assessment reports and research partnerships.

The operations directorate ensures the long-term sustainability of the Institute by mobilising resources and funding, producing and disseminating research as well as enhancing organisational capability and effectiveness.