NACI Annual Performance Plan For 2018/19
FOREWORD
On behalf of the National Advisory Council on Innovation (NACI), I am honoured to present the 2018/19 Annual Performance Plan (APP). This is the last APP for the current Council whose terms ends in July 2018.
The Council is implementing its legislative mandate and functions through the 2016-2021 Strategic Plan and Annual Performance Plan. Our 2016-2021 Strategic Plan articulates a vision and identifies strategic outcome-oriented goals that seek to contribute to the realisation of the 2030 National Development Plan vision and Science, Technology and Innovation policy mix (1996 White Paper on Science and Technology and Ten-Year Innovation Plan). Recently, the Council completed the review of the 1996 White Paper on Science and Technology, including a performance analysis of the National System of Innovation (NSI) over a twenty-year period, and submitted its input into the draft new White Paper on STI.
The Council will continue to improve the quality, relevance and efficacy of its advice to the Minister of Science and Technology and through the Minister to cabinet. It generates advice proactively or at the behest of the Minister of Science and Technology. In thinking about advice, the Council recognises that it is important to focus on both the foundation (disciplines or knowledge domains, infrastructure and human resources) of STI and its role in addressing poverty, unemployment, inequality and a sluggish economy and in meeting societal challenges (such as education,
health, food security and global change). The Council sees having access to good quality data, analytical capability, strong partnerships and healthy relationships with
recipients of advice as critical. Some of the NACI’s strengths include the ability to mobilise NSI stakeholders and access to local and international experts who complemented limited resources
NACI will build on its previous efforts to strengthen NSI planning, monitoring and evaluation capability. The Council remains committed to conduct a foresight
exercise whose results will contribute towards the development of decadal plan for STI.
Working with partners, the Council will improve phase 1 and develop phase 2 of the National STI Information Portal; and develop monitoring and evaluation framework and system for the NSI. The latter will take into consideration the new White Paper on STI.
The Council values the importance of good corporate governance, communication and international engagement. In 2018, the Council will undertake both self-evaluation and external evaluation or institutional review. It will build on the successes of the third Global Forum on National Advisory Councils, which offered an opportunity to establish relations with key actors in the rest of the African Continent. Together with the Department of Science and Technology Communication Unit, NACI will work hard to implement its communication plan.
I therefore commend our APP to South African citizens and NSI role players, in particular.
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Prof . Cheryl de la Rey
Chairperson: NACI