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Assessing Physics Research, Education, Infrastructure, and Training in the SADC Region
Estimated completion time: 20–25 minutes
Confidentiality: All responses will be anonymized and used solely for regional strategic planning by SAPhysNet and partners.
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1.
Country
(Required.)
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2.
Name of Institution
(Required.)
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3.
Type of Institution (tick one):
(Required.)
University
Technical College
Research Institute
Other (please specify)
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4.
Respondent’s Position
(Required.)
Section 1: Physics Research
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5.
Approximately how many physics-related research publications has your institution produced in the past 5 years?
(Required.)
None
1–10
11–50
51–100
More than 100
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6.
Main areas of physics research focus (tick all that apply):
(Required.)
Theoretical Physics
Experimental/Applied Physics
Astronomy / Astrophysics
Renewable Energy
Nuclear/Particle Physics
Computational Physics
Materials Science / Condensed Matter
Medical/Health Physics
Climate/Environmental Physics
Other (please specify)
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7.
How would you describe the trend in physics research output over the past 10 years?
(Required.)
Increasing
Stable
Decreasing
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8.
What are the main challenges in conducting and publishing physics research? (tick all that
apply)
(Required.)
Insufficient funding
Lack of research equipment/facilities
Limited access to journals/databases
High publication costs (APCs)
Weak research supervision/mentorship
Limited collaboration opportunities
Brain drain of qualified researchers
Other (please specify)
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9.
Primary sources of research funding (tick all that apply):
(Required.)
National government
Institutional/university budget
Regional bodies (e.g., SADC, AU)
International donors (e.g., EU, NSF, Wellcome)
Industry/private sector
None
Other (please specify)
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10.
Is current research funding adequate?
(Required.)
Very Adequate
Adequate
Inadequate
Severely Inadequate
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11.
Does your institution engage in physics research collaborations?
(Required.)
Yes
No
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12.
What institutional support is available to researchers? (tick all that apply)
(Required.)
Research grants office
Publication support (editing, journal access)
Conference travel funding
Research mentoring programmes
None
Other (please specify)
13.
What areas of physics research should be prioritized for development in your country?
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14.
What strategies could strengthen institutional capacity for physics research?
(Required.)
Section 2: Undergraduate Physics Education
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15.
Which undergraduate physics programmes are offered at your institution?(tick all that apply)
(Required.)
BSc in Physics
BSc with Physics major/minor
Integrated Science with Physics component
Engineering/Technology with physics core
None
Other (please specify)
16.
What is the approximate annual undergraduate enrolment in physics-related programs at your institution?
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17.
How would you rate the adequacy of the current undergraduate physics curriculum?
(Required.)
Very Adequate
Adequate
Needs Improvement
Inadequate
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18.
Is the curriculum regularly reviewed and updated?
(Required.)
Yes
No
If yes, what is the frequency?
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19.
Main challenges in delivering undergraduate physics education (tick all that apply)
(Required.)
Low student enrolment
Shortage of qualified lecturers
Outdated curriculum
Poor alignment with job market/industry needs
Inadequate teaching labs
Limited teaching resources (e.g., simulations, software)
Other (please specify)
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20.
Does the curriculum include practical applications linked to SADC development priorities
(e.g., energy, health, climate, ICT)?
(Required.)
Yes – extensively
Yes – to some extent
No
Other (please specify)
Section 3: Physics Infrastructure and Facilities
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21.
Does your institution have dedicated physics laboratories?
(Required.)
Yes
No
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22.
Which topics are most emphasized in the undergraduate curriculum? (tick all that apply)
(Required.)
Classical Mechanics
Electromagnetism
Thermodynamics & Statistical Physics
Quantum Mechanics
Computational Physics
Applied/Industrial Physics
Renewable Energy / Climate Physics
Other (please specify)
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23.
Types of physics labs available (tick all that apply):
(Required.)
General Physics Lab (mechanics, electricity, waves)
Advanced Undergraduate Labs
Specialized Research Labs (e.g., optics, nuclear, materials)
Computational/Simulation Labs
None
Other (please specify)
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24.
How adequate is laboratory space for teaching and research?
(Required.)
Very Adequate
Adequate
Needs Improvement
Inadequate
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25.
Condition of laboratory equipment:
(Required.)
Mostly new and functional
Functional but outdated
Limited and poorly maintained
Severely inadequate
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26.
Key challenges in maintaining labs (tick all that apply):
(Required.)
Insufficient equipment
Outdated apparatus
Limited technical staff
Poor maintenance budget
Health/safety concerns
Other (please specify)
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27.
IT and digital resources available for physics (tick all that apply):
(Required.)
High-speed internet
Access to online journals/databases
Licensed simulation software (e.g., MATLAB, COMSOL)
High-performance computing (HPC)
E-learning platforms
None
Other (please specify)
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28.
Does your institution allocate a specific annual budget for lab maintenance/upgrades?
(Required.)
Yes
No
Section 4: Training and Capacity Development in Physics
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29.
Are postgraduate (MSc/PhD) programmes in physics available domestically?
(Required.)
Yes
No (please specify)
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30.
Approximate annual postgraduate enrolment:
(Required.)
MSc
PhD
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31.
Main barriers to accessing postgraduate training (tick all that apply):
(Required.)
Limited programme availability
Lack of scholarships/funding
Inadequate research infrastructure
Shortage of supervisors
Visa/mobility restrictions within SADC
Other (please specify)
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32.
Are there active postgraduate exchange or joint-degree programmes within SADC?
(Required.)
No
Yes (please specify)
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33.
Technical and academic staff capacity in physics:
(Required.)
Undergraduate teaching staff
Postgraduate supervisors
Research-only staff
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34.
Are there training programmes for laboratory technicians or teaching assistants?
(Required.)
Yes
No
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35.
Priority investments needed to strengthen physics training (tick top 3):
(Required.)
Upgrading teaching/research labs
Expanding IT and digital learning tools
Scholarships for postgraduate students
Training for academic and technical staff
Curriculum modernization
Regional mobility/fellowship schemes
Industry internships for students
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36.
What policies or regional initiatives would most improve physics training in your
country?
(Required.)
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37.
Additional insights on opportunities or systemic challenges in physics (research,
education, infrastructure, or training) in your institution or country:
(Required.)
Thank you for your valuable input.
Your responses will directly inform SAPhysNet’s strategy to strengthen physics across the
SADC region.
