The National Scholarly Book Publishers’ Forum (NSBPF) was established in 2011 by the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf) to strengthen the scholarly book publishing system in South Africa. It was created following a key recommendation in ASSAf’s 2009 consensus report Scholarly Books: Their Production, Use and Evaluation in South Africa Today.

The NSBPF serves as a strategic platform for academic publishers, university presses, and stakeholders to collaborate, set standards, and shape national policy for scholarly book publishing. It was conceived as a “companion forum” to the National Scholarly Editors’ Forum (NSEF), which focuses on scholarly journals. Together, these forums support ASSAf’s mission to uphold excellence in South African scholarly publishing.

The NSBPF works to:

• Improve the quality, quantity, and impact of scholarly books in South Africa.
• Provide a unified voice for scholarly publishers in engaging with government and other stakeholders.
• Promote best practices in editing and peer reviewing of monographs and collected works.
• Collaborate with PASA (Publishers’ Association of South Africa) and relevant networks.
• Guide the integration of policy and practice across academic publishing formats.

The NSBPF plays a key role in:

• Setting quality standards and guiding publishers.
• Advising the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) on recognition and funding of scholarly books and chapters.
• Supporting the establishment of a National Scholarly Book Fund to help sustain South African publishing in fields like the humanities and social sciences.
• Contributing to the transformation of scholarly publishing by promoting diversity, equity, and multilingualism.

The forum’s mandate is supported by ASSAf’s 2018 report, Twelve Years Later: Second ASSAf Report on Research Publishing in and from South Africa. This study highlights the need to:

• Recognise the importance of scholarly books in research assessment.
• Promote lay summaries and greater public engagement.
• Strengthen policies on quality assurance and publishing ethics.

By working alongside the National Scholarly Editors’ Forum, the NSBPF helps position South African scholarship for greater visibility, credibility, and influence – locally and globally.

The NSBPF is governed by the NSBPF Terms of Reference (2025).

Access proceedings and presentations from past NSBPF meetings: