It might not seem like that much of a big deal, but as a researcher in South Africa working in a public university or the like, it is. The NRF or National Research Foundation has a system for rating researchers which involves a rigorous process of peer review and expert panels. An NRF rating is a mark of the extent to which a researcher is recognised nationally and globally for her or his quality of research. It benchmarks South African researchers against the very best in the world.
The rating process is coordinated by members of academia who are represented in 25 specialist committees, an executive evaluation committee, and an appeals committee. Each researcher's portfolio is evaluated by international peer reviewers. The ratings that are awarded fall within the following categories:
A – Leading international researchers
B – Internationally acclaimed researchers
C – Established researchers
P – Prestigious Awards
Y – Promising young researchers
