Spending on research and development improves
South Africa spent about R10.1 billion, or 0.81%, of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) on research and experimental development (R&D) in 2003/04. This is according to the key results from the National Survey of Financial and Human Resource Inputs into Research and Experimental Development, undertaken by the Centre for Science, Technology and Innovation Indicators (CeSTII) of the HSRC's Knowledge Management Research Programme. The survey was commissioned by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) and follows that of 2001/02. The 2003/04 figure represents an improvement on the situation reported in the 2001/02 R&D survey, which recorded R&D expenditure as R7.5 billion, or 0.76% of GDP. The survey was carried out according to the guidelines provided by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Frascati Manual and in consultation with national and international experts in the field, especially Statistics Canada. The intensity of R&D expenditure, measured as the percentage of GDP spent on R&D, is a good indication of the competitiveness of a country?s economy. The OECD country with the highest R&D intensity is Sweden (4.27% of GDP), followed by Finland (3.46%). The United States R&D expenditure measured 2.60% and the average for the 25 European Union (expanded) member states was 2.26%. The European Union has set a goal of achieving an average R&D expenditure of 3.0% of GDP by the year 2010. The R&D Survey involved comprehensive surveys of business, the Government (including the nine science councils such as the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Medical Research Council and the HSRC), higher education, and the non-profit sectors. Survey coverage of the business sector was significantly improved, especially in the service sector and in small and medium-sized companies.
Spending on R&D ? where does it go? Academic publishing faces the challenge ...
The growth of R&D is welcomed as a healthy indicator of the country?s economy, but if research is to affect change and have a positive impact, the information needs to be disseminated. However, the level of scholarly publishing, which traditionally supports R&D publishing, has been steadily shrinking as publishing houses either battle for funds, or are over-subscribed in certain areas. The question, then, is how to find new ways to disseminate vital research information, with cost and accessibility being major factors. ?In this light, the HSRC Press has adopted a dual publishing philosophy with an emphasis on making top-quality research material available through a variety of options?, says Garry Rosenberg, Director of the HSRC Press, the publishing operation within the HSRC. Academic research material can be accessed both in print and online. Printed copies of HSRC publications are available in bookstores, libraries and through online bookshops, while online versions can be downloaded (either as specific chapters or as entire publications) at no cost. ?The HSRC Press Open Access publishing model is set to become a formidable resource both locally and globally. And it goes a long way to addressing the issue of shrinking publishing capacity in an ever-increasing R&D environment,? Rosenberg says. The HSRC Press publishes up to 50 titles a year, promoting social science scholarship through a broad author pool. Both local and international academics and research specialists contribute to an ongoing, peer-reviewed catalogue of publications focusing on a range of topics including democracy and governance, education, and arts and culture. Visit the HSRC Press website at www.hsrcpress.ac.za.
New member of HSRC Council
 Mr Kimi Makwetun |
Mr Kimi Makwetu has been appointed as a member of the HSRC Council and will chair the Audit Committee, replacing Mr Sikkie Kajee, who resigned in March. Kajee?s resignation followed the awarding of the tender for outsourcing the Internal Audit function to KPMG, where he is the Director of Internal Audit. Makwetu is a Divisional Director for Finance at Liberty Life, and was formerly a Senior Manager at Deloitte?s Assurance Services. His area of expertise includes finance and accounting, auditing, and risk management. He is a member of the Robben Island Museum Audit Committee and a former Trustee of Zanempilo Health Trust.
Charting land degradation and land use
A project to assess land degradation and land use in semi-arid areas, funded by the Global Environment Facility, will identify and map vulnerable land with the aim of developing alternative land use strategies.
The project spans all countries in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and other African countries, says Professor Simphiwe Mini, project leader and Chief Research Specialist in the HSRC?s Integrated Rural and Regional Development Research Programme.
The intention to build the capacity of participating countries in land degradation assessment techniques and technology to counter land degradation is the core focus of the project.
South Africa will co-ordinate the research, which will be conducted by the HSRC in collaboration with the National Departments of Agriculture and Environmental Affairs and Forestry, the Agricultural Research Council and other research institutions and universities. It will be funded by the Global Environmental Facility.
Ghanian scholar partipates in lecture series
 Ayi Kwei Armah |
Ghanian scholar, novelist and poet, Ayi Kwei Armah, the first of a group of African writers to participate in a lecture series hosted by the HSRC?s Social Cohesion and Identity (SCI) Research Programme. Armah is best known for his novels, The Beautiful Ones Are Not Yet Born and Two Thousand Seasons, the latter a powerful indictment of post-colonial corruption among independent African states. The second lecture in this series took place on 31 May and featured Dani W. Nabudere, Executive Director of the Afrika Study Centre, Uganda, and Professor Emeritus in the Department of Political Science at the Islamic University in Mbale, Uganda.
Bio what? Public has scant knowledge of biotechnology
Eight out of ten South Africans have no knowledge of biotechnology and well over half have never heard of the term. Despite this lack of understanding, an average of 57% indicated that different applications of biotechnology ? the use of living things to form or change useful products and tools ? should continue.
This is according to the most comprehensive survey on public perceptions of biotechnology undertaken in South Africa to date. The survey involved a representative sample of 7 000 adults i.e. aged 16 and older, in households across the country.
The survey was undertaken by the Human Sciences Research Council for the Public Understanding of Biotechnology (PUB) Programme. The aim was to find out what people think, feel, and understand about biotechnology.
The survey results revealed that, in terms of food content, 51% of respondents seldom or never read food labels, while 23% do so on a regular basis. When asked what additional information they would like to see on food labels, 21% of the respondents said that information regarding ingredients and health content would be useful.
Interestingly, only 1% specified that they would like to see information on genetically modified organisms (GMOs). GMOs are plants, animals or microbes that contain genes that have been altered or transferred from other organisms or species in a way that conventional techniques cannot do.
Universities were regarded by 23% of respondents as the most trusted institution to provide reliable information on biotechnology, followed by the media (21%), and then government (16%). Consumer groups and environmental organisations were fourth, followed by religious organisations and then industry.
Just over a quarter (26%) of respondents did not think biotechnology posed a risk for society, compared to 21% who did, while 42% did not know. Seventy-three per cent of respondents did not know if genetic modification (GM) is positive or negative and only 11% considered it positive, while 10% considered it negative.
The survey report is available on www.pub.ac.za. For more information, e-mail Mr Zakes Langa, the principal investigator and a Researcher in the Surveys, Analyses, Modelling and Mapping Research Programme.
Round table discussion, School-to-Work Transition and Labour Market Intermediation in Developing Countries
 From left are Ms Ellen Hansen (ILO, Geneve), Dr Moeketsi Letseka (HSRC), Professor Dulce Soares (Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil), Dr R?nette du Toit (HSRC). |
A two-day round table discussion, School-to-Work Transition and Labour Market Intermediation in Developing Countries,was hosted in Pretoria by the HSRC?s Employment and Economic Policy Research (EEPR) Progamme. The discussion focused on the context of developing countries with regard to career development, career guidance and labour market transition issues (policies and service delivery). Themes included broad international perspectives, guidelines and considerations, as well as specific country perspectives from Brazil, Bangkok, Thailand and Botswana.
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