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Past NACI events
NACI-INNO4DEV WORKSHOP: Real Experiences of Industries and Businesses on Innovation for Development wth Potential for Wider Adoption |
| 29 January 2010 |
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With support from the Developmental Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA), Innovation for Development (INNO4DEV) subcommittee of the National Advisory Council on Innovation (NACI) hosted a workshop on Friday 29 January 2010 at the DBSA. The purpose of the workshop was to enable various organisations such as mining, chemical, financial, information and communication technology (ICT) and other relevant industries to come and share their real experiences of working with and improving lives of the grassroots communities through application of technological and non-technological innovations.
The objectives of the workshop were to identify:
- Real examples of successes made through application of technological and non-technological innovations with potential for roll-out.
- Challenges to innovations and strategies applied or planned to address those challenges.
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National workshop on Measuring and Monitoring innovation in South Africa |
| 22 October 2009 |
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The National Advisory Council on Innovation (NACI) held an expert workshop on measuring and monitoring innovation in South Africa on 22 October 2009 at the Stellenbosch institute for advanced study (STIAS) in Stellenbosch. The overarching objective of the NACI workshop was to contribute to the development of indicators that could be used to track broad-based innovation in South Africa. It was also envisaged that the outcome of the workshop would contribute towards raising the awareness of the general public regarding the significance of innovation. More than 40 workshop participants were drawn from government departments, science councils, universities, research based institutions and industry, business sector, development agencies as well as community based organisations
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- download workshop proceedings here
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National Workshop on the impact of the policy environment on biotechnology in South Africa over the next five years |
| 23 July 2009 |
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The "National Workshop on the impact of the Policy Environment on Biotechnology in South Africa over the next five years" was held on the 23rd July 2009. Discussion topic that were dealt with included the Intellectual Property Rights on Publicly Financed Research and Development 2008 (IPR-PFRD Act), the newly established Technology Innovation Agency (TIA) and its impact on Biotechnology, feedback from the three NBAC studies conducted, as well as the Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) and Stem cell regulation environment in South Africa and lastly the impact that regulation in South Africa has on Innovation. The workshop was intended to provide a forum for sharing information and experience among government officers, entrepreneurs, and research scientists involved in policy making and technology R&D in the field of biotechnology.
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- download workshop proceedings here
- download workshop agenda and presentations here
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Expert Meeting on Broad-based Innovation |
| 22 May 2009 |
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The expert meeting took place on request of the NACI Council as a follow-up on the National Workshop on Broad-based Innovation held on 27 February 2009. The meeting was attended by 16 invited participants representing a broad spectrum of professional backgrounds, disciplines and institutions. The objectives of the meeting were to:
- Identify early key priorities to pursue with respect to social innovation
- Identify key drivers of innovation
- Develop an initial framework as the basis for approaching innovation for development
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- download draft summary report here
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Broad-based innovations to address socio-economic challenges faced by South Africa |
| 27 February 2009 |
The focus of the workshop
Both technological and non-technological aspects of innovation for socio-economic benefit with the main objectives being the
- Evaluation of evidence on the success of innovation policies and approaches,
- Identification of implementation challenges, and
- Generation of broad-based innovation strategies
Speakers
- Mr Mosibudi Mangena, Minister of S&T: Official opening
- Andrew Jamison, Denmark: Latest thinking on innovation
- Gordon Butte & Sarah Thorne, USA: Conditions for successful innovation
- Hasan Kaya, NWU: Community-based innovation
- Marjorie Pyoos, DST: Formal sector perspectives on innovation
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NACI National Biotechnology Expert Workshop 2008 |
| 31 July 2008 |
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The "National Biotechnology Expert Workshop 2008" on the 31st July 2008 included a comprehensive look into the role of the National Biotechnology Advisory Committee as well as an overview of the latest developments in the Biotechnology industry. Special emphasis was given on latest developments in the areas of bioethics, medicinal pharmaceuticals, industrial, food and agriculture, environmental as well as governance, legal and intellectual property. The workshop provided government officers, entrepreneurs, and research scientists the opportunity participate in discussions, in information sharing and the sharing of their experience.
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- download workshop proceeding here
- download presentations here
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SET4W/NACI Symposium: Changing perceptions of Women in SET |
| 25 June 2008 |
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The Science, Engineering and Technology for Women (SET4W) advisory committee together with the National Advisory Council on Innovation (NACI) will host a symposium at the CSIR International Convention Centre on the 25th of June 2008. The symposium will be discussing outcomes of the research project entitled, Changing perceptions of Women in Science, Engineering and Technology (SET). Outcomes of the research project will be disseminated during the symposium and such will set the scene for further discussions by the invited participants. Open discussions during the symposium will extensively build on the purpose of the research project.
The research project sets to profile successful women in SET, with a special focus on industry. A number of women role models have already been identified and their career histories will be recorded. The purpose of the research project is to establish factors which contributed to the success of role models and possible interventions that could be considered to attract and retain more women in SET. |
| OECD delegation to visit NACI |
| Aug 2006 |
| The OECD (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development) agreed to peer review South Africa as part of its National Innovation Systems review programme. The country review includes the preparation of a background report by the country, a site visit by an OECD expert group - due to take place between 28 August and 08 September 2006, and the drafting of the final report by the OECD. |
| Winner of the Distinguished Woman Scientist Award 2006 |
| Aug 06 - |
| The Dept of Science and Technology has created various awards for Women in Science to recognise the contribution of outstanding women in scientific research. A SET4W council member, Dr Valerie Mizrahi was announced winner of the Distinguished Woman Scientist Award 2006 on Friday night, 4 August at the prize giving ceremony in Gauteng. |
| Winners of the National Innovation Competition |
| July 06 - |
The winners were announced on 13 July at a gala function. Dr Wernich de Villiers, from the University of Stellenbosch, received the first prize, from Minister Mosibudi Mangena, for his Line Trap Tester that will benefit the power utility companies. The Line Trap Tester will allow them to do more effective and safe maintenance on High Voltage Power Line Carriers, without requiring a power outage.
Wernich was a runner up in 2003 for the NACI Postgraduate Innovation Award. |
| Innovative South Africa Conference |
| July 06 - |
The conference took place 26 - 27 June 2006 in Brussels. It showcased innovation developments in South Africa and provided a platform for developing an innovation policy dialogue between South African and European partners. A specific objective was to explore innovation cooperation opportunities between South Africa and Europe, including collaboration under the Seventh Framework Programme and the consideration of investment opportunities.
More information and some presentations |
| The new R&D Survey results are announced |
| July 06 - |
| The results of the annual R&D survey were announced on 22 June 2006 in Cape Town by the Minister of Science and Technology, Mr Mosibudi Mangena. The most important news is that the total percentage of R&D expenditure in South Africa has risen from 0.81per cent of GDP last year to 0.87 per cent this year. The government's goal of 1% of GDP by 2008 is within reach. |
| NACI and DST moved to a new building |
| May 06 - |
Our new contact details are:
Postal address:
The NACI Secretariat
Private Bag X894
Pretoria 0001
Physical address:
Building 53,
CSIR Campus
Meiring Naude Road
Brummeria
Pretoria
See Contact Us for more details |
| NACI International Workshop on Measuring Systems of Innovation: Inputs, Flows and Outputs |
| May 06 - |
The workshop concluded successfully on 25 April 2006. The presentations of the keynote speakers follow below.
Dr. Ammon Salter, Imperial College London - ‘The role of intangibles in the knowledge economy’
Dr. Ulrich Schmoch, Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research, Germany - ‘Describing national systems of innovation by means of indicators’
Prof. Sunil Mani, Centre for Development Studies, Kerala, India - ‘Valuing innovation systems: some international dimensions’
Dr. Johan Hauknes, STEP, Norway - ‘Innovation, technology and economic change – status and open questions’ |
| NACI International Workshop on Measuring Systems of Innovation: Inputs, Flows and Output |
| 24-25 April 2006 |
| The study is the outcome of a Cabinet request that output measures be introduced to complement the R&D survey in order to better inform Cabinet on the holistic nature and effectiveness of the national system of innovation. A key component of the study is a strategic, high-level workshop focusing on quantifying the relationship between R&D and innovation. Five international experts as well as leading South African scholars as keynote speakers, session chairs and discussants were invited. Leading South African academics, policy-makers and decision-makers were also invited to participate in the workshop. This was, therefore, be a high-profile event in the science policy arena, and provided a platform for some of the leading thinkers in the field to debate the issues, both econometric and policy-based. |
| Globelics Africa 2005 |
| 31 October to 4 November 2005, Pretoria, South Africa |
| The international Globelics (the Global Network for the Economics of Learning, Innovation and Competence Building Systems) conference, took place in Pretoria.
The two prior Globelics conferences have been held in Brazil and China respectively, and facilitated the exchange of ideas between scholars from the North, West, South and East. Developing country researchers benefited from more direct access to recent research in the US and Europe, while the field as a whole benefited from new insights into the nature and functioning of innovation systems, offered by developing countries' perspectives.
The third Globelics conference built on this work. Globelics Africa 2005 further examined the links between innovation, development and growth. The conference also aimed to build research capacity in Africa by establishing contact between researchers from Africa and from other regions of the world, both from leading academic centres, and from other developing contexts. |
| HR operationalisation workshop |
| 10 November 2004 |
A study on the dynamics of the supply and demand of human resources (HR) in the National System of Innovation (NSI) was recently launched when a workshop was held on
10 November 2004 to draft a framework. The workshop was attended by specialists from the NACI Council, NRF, HSRC, SAQA, several universities and the business sector. |
| Utilisation of Research Findings: Strategies for Improving Return on R&D Investment |
| 9-10 October 2003 |
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NACI has recently completed a strategically important study on "The Utilisation of research
findings". The study covered key conceptual issues, extensive empirical surveys of the extent
and dynamics of utilisation as well as a number of policy recommendations. The findings of
this study should make an impact on research and development in the country. One of the means by which NACI wanted to disseminate and test these findings was by hosting
this conference. |
| NACI talk: Shrum on Science |
| 18 July 2003 |
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NACI was privileged to host Professor Wesley Shrum from Louisiana State University on 18 July 2003. He spoke about Science and Summits with the gist of his presentation being on Science and Globalisation - the interconnection between Science and Technology Studies, Information and Communication Technology, and Development/Reagency. View his presentation. |
| Skills shortages in the petrochemical construction industry - first workshop |
| 16 April 2003 |
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As a first phase an exploratory workshop on skills shortages in the petrochemical
construction industry was held on 16 April 2003. The purpose of the meeting was to
create an awareness of the potential impact of project demands on the construction
industry over the next 5 years, and to enable NACI to initiate action in addressing the
major issues facing the construction industry. |
| NEPAD Conference |
| 9-10 October 2002 |
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Science and Technology (S&T) has and continues to play a key role in the sustainable development of the core economies of both developed and developing nations. The National Advisory Council on Innovation (NACI) has subsequently taken the initiative to organise a conference aimed at addressing conditions that may facilitate or inhibit S&T co-operation in Africa. |
| NACI Seminar: Technological innovation in context |
| 7 October 2002 |
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Seminar led by Prof Arie Rip of the University of Twente in the Netherlands. The presentation offered an analysis of the process of technological innovation and the points at which the process can be influenced. It offered two applications of the perspectives emerging from the analysis, namely of product innovations in industrial firms and low-input agriculture in the Netherlands and South Africa. |
| National system of innovation: Seminar on data and statistics |
| 14 March 2002 |
| The seminar was presented by Prof. Johann Mouton from the University of Stellenbosch's Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies. The presentation focused on the most recent S&T indicators. The presentation reflected on conceptual issues around indicators, presented best available statistics on R&D expenditure and R&D output and concluded with suggestions on the way forward. |
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