The National Institute for the Humanities and Social Sciences (NIHSS) was established on 5 December 2013 as an independent statutory body in terms of Gazette No. 37118 vol. 582 and in accordance with Section 69 read with sections 38A, 38B, and 38C of the Higher Education Act (Act No 101 of 1997). The scope or application of the NIHSS will be to advance and co-ordinate scholarship, research and ethical practice in the fields of Humanities and the Social Sciences (HSS) within and through the existing public universities and those to be established or declared in future as public Universities. In June 2015 the NIHSS was appointed by the minister of Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) as the permanent host of the South African BRICS Think Tank (SABTT) including the Academic Forum. The SABTT is aimed at playing an advisory role that will enable the government to realise and generate informed decisions on its relations with other BRICS countries as well as international community.