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News in brief - 2004
| Call to innovation information brokers and website developers |
| December 2004 |
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Organisations and groups, specialising in the development of innovation information support, of web-based communication services and information on innovation networking (local and international), are invited to submit proposals for the upgrading of the NACI innovation portal and its maintenance over a two year period. Submissions and enquiries should reach the Secretariat of NACI on or before 15 December 2004.
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| NACI Council member receives Laureate Award |
| November 2004 |
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Congratulations to Prof. Tshilidzi Marwala, a NACI Council member, who received a Laureate Award from the University of Pretoria at the Laureate Ball on 20 November 2004. The Laureate Award is the highest award an Alumnus of the University of Pretoria or an outstanding achiever can receive from fellow Alumni.
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| Ethics in the National System of Innovation |
| November 2004 |
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NACI recently approved a new project on Ethics in the National System of Innovation (NSI). This exploratory project entails a survey of the state of codes of conduct/ethics in the NSI, e.g. professional bodies and institutions. The project will be done in collaboration with the NSTF. The database will be published electronically. The target date for completion is April 2005.
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| Feedback on human resources operationalisation workshop |
| 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.
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| Appointment of Director: Women in Science and Technology |
| November 2004 |
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Ms Lebogang Lebese has been appointed as Director: South African Reference Group on Women in Science and Technology (SARG). SARG is a permanent national advisory committee of NACI. Ms Lebese holds a MBA from the University of Birmingham, as well as a MA in health policy, planning and management from the University of Leeds, and is currently enrolled to complete a PhD in public policy.
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| Congratulations to our recent graduants |
| November 2004 |
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Two NACI secretariat staff members recently obtained degrees from the University of the North-West. Simon Mpele obtained an MBA and Edward Rakate a BComm Hons in economics. NACI congratulates them both and wishes them well for the future.
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| Call for Nominations: NSTF Science and Technology Awards |
| November 2004 |
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Call for Nominations are now open for the 7th National Science and Technology Forum (NSTF) Science and Technology Awards for 2004. The deadline for submissions are Monday, 31 January 2005. Help us to recognise and celebrate individuals and organisations for outstanding contributions in Science, Engineering and Technology (SET)! Click here for more information on the categories, criteria points, process, and entry form.
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| NEPAD in Science & Technology Workshop |
| September 2004 |
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The National Science and Technology Forum (NSTF) are hosting a NEPAD in Science & Technology Workshop in collaboration with the Department of Science and Technology and the National Advisory Council on Innovation. The purpose of this workshop is to share ideas, apprise stakeholders of the status of the programme, provide an opportunity for participants to contribute to the formulation of a common national approach, and to formulate priority projects.
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| 2nd Open Source Software Africa Conference 2004 |
| August 2004 |
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The 2nd Open Source Software (OSS) Africa Conference will be held from 26 - 27 August 2004 in the Indaba Hotel, Johannesburg. This event strives to be the continents biggest OSS event to date and intends to dispel many of the misunderstandings that still surround open source software. The Conference will assist the industry by addressing relevant and topical issues, with a focus on the changes and challenges currently facing the OSS industry in South Africa.
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| Professor Tshilidzi Marwala received two awards |
| June 2004 |
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Congratulations to NACI councillor, Professor Tshilidzi Marwala: Associate Professor, School of Electrical and Information Engineering, University of the Witwatersrand, who was one of two recipients of the National Science and Technology Forum (NSTF) award for Junior Black Researcher over the last two to five years. He also recently received the National Research Foundation President's Award for his outstanding contribution to research in his field.
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| NACI has a new unit, S&T and Innovation Indicators |
| June 2004 |
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The Science, Technology and Innovation Indicator System (ST&IIS) Unit of the Department of Science and Technology has now been transferred to NACI. ST&IIS undertakes projects aimed at developing and disseminating science statistical indicators in support of science and technology. Recent projects include a National Research and Development Survey 2001/02, patent statistics, technological balance of payments (TBP) and the Innovation Survey.
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| T-Systems Age of Innovation and Sustainability Awards open for entries |
| June 2004 |
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If you head an innovative company or have developed an inventive product or service, now is the time to enter the 2004 T-Systems Age of Innovation and Sustainability Awards. The private sector and NGOs can enter in a number of award categories. The awards are jointly supported and endorsed by Axius Publishing, the Centre for Public Service Innovation and The Da Vinci Institute for Technology Management. The closing date for entries is 30 June 2004.
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| Appointment of new Ministers for Science & Technology |
| May 2004 |
Mr Mosibudi Mangena has been appointed the new Minister for Science and Technology. Mr Mangena, who is also the President for Azapo, served as the Deputy Minister for Education since 2001.
Mr Derek Hanekom, has been appointed the new Deputy Minister for Science and Technology. Mr Hanekom has served as a Member of Parliament and previously as Minister of Land Affairs.
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| Developments in South Africa's Government Science and Technology System |
| May 2004 |
Dr Rob Adam, the Director-General of the Department of Science and Technology and CEO of NACI, made a presentation on Developments in South Africa's Government Science and Technology System to the first meeting of the new NACI Council on 27 May 2004.
[View presentation]
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| Prof. Calie Pistorius announced as new NACI Chairperson |
| May 2004 |
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NACI is pleased to announce the appointment of Prof. Calie Pistorius as the new NACI Chairperson. Prof. Pistorius is the Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of Pretoria. Apart from being an internationally accomplished engineer, researcher and teacher, he is a consultant to industry and government on issues relating to strategy, management of technology, technological innovation, competitiveness and national technological policy.
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| New NACI Council Members announced |
| May 2004 |
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NACI takes great pleasure in announcing their new Council Members who will gather for their first meeting on Thursday, 27 May 2004. Council members are appointed due to their outstanding achievement in any field of science and technology, or in the context of innovation, special knowledge, experience and insight into the role and contribution of innovation, in promoting and achieving national and provincial objectives.
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| South African Awards for Women in Science |
| May 2004 |
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The South African Department of Science and Technology has created recognition awards to celebrate "Women in Science" as a direct response to the vision encapsulated in the National Research and Development Strategy of ultimate improvement in the quality of life of South Africans. You are invited to find out more about the various types of recognition awards to celebrate "Women in Science" and make a nomination.
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| Appointment of new Minister for Science and Technology |
| April 2004 |
The President of the Republic of South Africa, Thabo Mbeki, announced the appointment of a new Minister for Science and Technology, Mr Mosibudi Mangena. Mangena, who is also the President for Azapo, served as the Deputy Minister for Education since 2001. NACI is excited about the announcement and the separation of the ministry of Science and Technology from Arts and Culture.
[Read profile]
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| Announcement of the new NACI Council expected shortly |
| April 2004 |
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The announcement of the new NACI Council members is expected shortly. The successful candidates have been notified and will be announced pending their acceptance. Council members are appointed due to their outstanding achievement in any field of science and technology, or in the context of innovation, special knowledge, experience and insight into the role and contribution of innovation, in promoting and achieving national and provincial objectives.
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| Unesco honours Prof Jennifer Thomson for her work |
| April 2004 |
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Prof Jennifer Thomson of the University of Cape Town (UCT), also a NACI Council Member, has won the $100 000 L'Oréal United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) Award for her work on genetic engineering. Thomson heads up a team of molecular biologists, which are trying to engineer maize to be resistant to the maize streak virus. The virus is widely found in Africa and stunts growth and cob development in affected plants. [Read profile]
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| NACI Annual Report released |
| March 2004 |
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The 2002/2003 NACI Annual Report has been released. This fourth annual report is the final one of the first Council. The series of annual reports clearly reflects the development trends that NACI has experienced over the past four years. One of the most noticeable trends is the increasing volume of work that NACI has initiated over time. The current report is largely taken up by internally generated programmes. The report is available for viewing in Adobe Acrobat format.
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| Conference: Research as an Agent for Transformation & Development |
| February 2004 |
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The conference, to be held in Cape Town from 5 to 7 May 2004, will combine practical learning in key areas of research and innovation management with a high-level strategic overview of the role of research as agent for transformation and development. The conference is sponsored by the the Association of
Commonwealth Universities (ACU) and the South African Research and
Innovation Management Association (SARIMA).
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| NSTF call for nominations: Black researchers and their mentors |
| February 2004 |
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The National Science and Technology Forum (NSTF) is pleased to announce a package of additional awards for the NSTF Science and Technology Awards. The new awards are specifically designed to encourage black researchers and those who mentor them. The winners will be provided with special research grants. The closing date for the new categories of the awards only is no later than 12:00 on 19 March 2004.
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| Mlambo-Ngcuka appointed to replace Ngubane |
| February 2004 |
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The President of South Africa, Mr Thabo Mbeki, has announced that the Minister of Minerals and Energy, Ms Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, has also been appointed as Minister of Arts and Culture, Science and Technology. Ms Mlambo-Ngcuka will hold these portfolios concurrently. Dr Ben Ngubane will leave his position to join the diplomatic service. The President expressed his warm gratitude to Dr Ngubane for having distinguished himself as an outstanding minister.
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| Research and development survey launched |
| February 2004 |
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The survey, a Human Sciences Research Council study commissioned by the Department of Science and Technology, was launched in January 2004. This followed the Cabinet's approval of the National R&D Strategy that aims to double government investment in science and technology by 2005 and to achieve a national R&D expenditure target of at least 1% of GDP by 2005. The Survey provides, among other things, expenditure in the R&D area during 2001/2.
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| Study on mobility of research and development workers |
| February 2004 |
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Emigration figures of highly skilled researchers remain high, but the greatest mobility of high–level skills is now within the country. This is a key finding the Study on Mobility of R&D workers, released by the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC). The study, commissioned by NACI, confirms earlier findings regarding the under reporting of emigration to major consuming countries. This flow is up to four times higher than the official figures of Statistics South Africa.
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| Meta-database on science, technology and innovation launched |
| January 2004 |
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A pilot project meta-database on Science, Technology and Innovation Information (STII) has been launched by NACI and the Information and Strategy Advice (ISA) unit of the National Research Foundation (NRF). The purpose of the project was to survey the current databases relevant to the South African innovation system and to develop an easily accessible database of the databases. You can access the pilot database at www.nrf.ac.za/naci/
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| Call for Nominations: NSTF Science and Technology Awards |
| January 2004 |
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The closing date for the highly-acclaimed 6th National Science and Technology Forum (NSTF) Science and Technology Awards for 2003 has been extended till Friday, 30 January 2004. The adjudication of the nominations received will commence in February 2004 and close in March 2004. A Gala Dinner for the announcement and celebration of the winners and runners-up is planned for the end of May 2004 in Sandton, Johannesburg.
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NACI in the news
| Living the open source community lifestyle |
| ITWeb, 11 March 2004 |
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The broad-scale promotion of open source software and open standards within the South African public sector as well as in education and business, will have a profound impact on the way software systems are specified, designed and implemented.
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| Research brain drain may be overestimated, says HSRC |
| Business Report, 29 January 2004 |
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A study by the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) has discovered no evidence of a brain drain crisis in the research and development field in South Africa.
"The brain drain may be overestimated, in that the rate of return to South Africa of researchers is not clear," said the report, released yesterday in Cape Town.
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| HSRC releases brain-drain findings |
| Engineering News, 29 January 2004 |
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South African statutory body, the Human Sciences Research Committee (HSRC), has found that emigration of highly skilled South African researchers remains high, but that the greatest mobility of high-level skills is now within the country. The study, commissioned by the National Advisory Council on Innovation (Naci), confirmed earlier findings regarding the under reporting of emigration to major consuming countries such as the US, Canada, the UK, Australia and New Zealand.
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| SA's research muscle 'fine' |
| Finance24, 28 January 2004 |
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A study by the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) has discovered no evidence of a brain drain crisis in the research and development field in South Africa.
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| Emigration much higher: HSRC |
| iafrica.com Business, 28 January 2004 |
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A study by South Africa's Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) has confirmed earlier findings regarding the under reporting of emigration by highly skilled South Africans to major consuming countries.
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