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National Science, Technology and Innovation Foresight Exercise 2018: Selection of STI Domains (First Workshop)

Opening Remarks by Dr Mlungisi Cele.                                   

The National Science, Technology and Innovation Foresight (STI) Exercise 2018 first workshop took place at St George’s Hotel-Centurion, Pretoria on the 24th and 25th of July 2018.

The purpose of this event was to bring together various stakeholders to participate in the process of  identifying candidate STI domains which should be prioritised in the 2030 National Development Plan (NDP). This follows the email STI domains selection process.The workshop was attended by notable stakeholders from various institutions, who have made a remarkable contribution to the two days workshop.

Plenary discussions took place and enabled the stakeholders to give more thought into the role of STI in alleviating some of the challenges we are facing globally as well as the country by 2030. There were also breakaway groups that were categorised by the NDP themes. The groups had to brainstorm about the potential STI clusters and components, which led to a selection of further set of STI domains.                                                

Dr Ozcan Saritas making a presentation on Global Trends, Challenges & opportunities. Presentation document can be downloaded here                                                                                                         
Theme 2 Working Group brainstorming their STI clusters.                                                                                   
Theme 9 Working group.                                             
APP Cover

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.
…………………………………….
Prof . Cheryl de la Rey
Chairperson: NACI

 

South African STI Indicators Booklet 2017

South African STI Indicators Booklet 2017

Foreword by Prof Cheryl de la Rey (NACI Chairperson)

On behalf of the National Advisory Council on Innovation (NACI), I am delighted to present the 2017 report on South African Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Indicators.
The draft new White Paper on STI proposes that NACI provide hindsight, insight and foresight to help the National System of Innovation (NSI) to build scientific excellence and innovation capacity, with the ultimate aim of reducing poverty, unemployment and inequality. NACI and the DST-NRF Centre of Excellence in Scientometrics and STI Policy begun work on developing a monitoring and evaluation framework and system for the NSI, which will involve engagement with all key actors.

The STI Indicators Report is part of our current contribution to building the monitoring, evaluation and learning capability necessary for assessing the state of the NSI.It draws from the recently finalised Innovation Scorecard Framework, which was developed following broad consultation. This publication introduces new elements, covering, for instance, provincial and local innovation systems.

The STI Indicators Report identifies some challenges, as well as areas in which progress has been made. In 2017, South Africa ranked 39 out of 127 countries in business and innovation sophistication, a sub-index of the Global Competitiveness Index. Research and development investment, as a percentage of gross domestic product, increased to 0.8 in 2015/16, slightly up from the 0.77% recorded in 2014/15. However, this is still far from the target of 1.5% in 2019.

The venture capital industry plays a significant role in catalysing and growing technological entrepreneurship, especially for new high-growth start-ups. According to the 2017 survey of the Southern African Venture Capital and Private Equity Association, captive government funds, at 39%, were proportionally the largest source of funding for all the active deals invested, followed by independent funds at 35%.

The NSI human capital pipeline remains constrained. NACI continually monitors and comments on the percentage of Grade 12 learners who obtain 50% or more in Mathematics and Physical Science. For Mathematics, this percentage has been fluctuating for over a decade, from 18.1% in 2008 to 11.8% in 2015.

There is good progress in the number of women university graduates in science, engineering and technology (SET) disciplines. However, the proportion of women is below par at doctoral level (43% in 2015). In 2015, most of these degrees were in health and related clinical sciences (58%), life sciences (58%), education (52%) and agricultural sciences (50%). The number of women obtaining doctoral qualifications in disciplines like engineering, mathematics, statistics, and computer and information science is still low. The transformation challenge remains, and all NSI actors need to consider what they can do to address it.

The NACI Council and Secretariat are confident that all NSI stakeholders, including policy makers, the private sector and non-governmental organisations, will find this STI Indicators Report informative. We hope that it will also serve as a source of recognition of the work done so far, and an inspiration for further efforts to build the NSI.

Prof Cheryl de la Rey
Chairperson: National Advisory Council on Innovation

 

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