Formal research groups include staff and students from various departments and faculties, working across disciplines to understand and alleviate some of society's major challenges. All formal research groups are accredited by the University Research Committee (URC).
 

• African Centre for Cities (ACC)
• Applied Thermofluid Process Modelling Research Unit (ATProM)
• Blast Impact and Survivability Research Unit (BISRU)
• Centre for Bioprocess Engineering Research (CeBER)
• Centre for Catalysis Research (CCR)
• Centre for Materials Engineering (CME)
• Centre for Minerals Research (CMR)
• Centre for Research in Computational and Applied Mechanics (CERECAM)
• Centre for Research in Engineering Education (CREE)
• Centre for Transport Studies (CTS)
• Concrete Materials and Structural Integrity Research Unit (CoMSIRU)
• Crystallisation and Precipitation Research Unit (CPRU)
• Future Water Institute
• Minerals to Metals Initiative
• Urban Real Estate Research Unit