Lesley Cowling
THE Institute of Wine Biotechnology grew out of a new initiative called the Technology and Human Resources for Industry Programme (Thrip), which is administered by the Foundation for Research Development (FRD).
The programme brings together industry, academic research and government in projects designed to serve national interests.
The way it works is this: if industry puts money into a Thrip-approved project, the Department of Trade and Industry matches the grants by putting in at least 50 cents for every rand invested by the companies.
In some cases, the department will match the funding on a one-to-one basis. For example, in projects where there are five or more students, the department will match the industry grant if more than half are black or female.
Projects are jointly managed by the academic and industrial partners.
Apart from the Wine Biotechnology Institute, Thrip funds about 78 projects involving 56 companies. Two of the bigger projects are the Catalysis Research Unit at the University of Cape Town and the Sasol Separation Technology Unit at Potchefstroom.
During 1995, the Catalysis Research Unit under Professor Cyril O’Connor received joint funding of about R1,6-million. The funding came from the Department of Trade and Industry, companies AECI, Sastech and Sentrachem and the FRD.
The Sasol Separation Technology Centre under Professor Piet Steyn received funding to the value of R1,5-million through the Thrip initiative.
In 1995, funding from industry for Thrip projects totalled R10,9-million, while the department’s contribution was R5,6-million.
Says Dr Tjaart van der Walt, FRD Director responsible for Thrip: “Thrip has tremendous growth potential. Compared with a budget of R17-million in 1995, the programme’s size is projected to exceed the R50-million mark in 1996. We are aiming at a R250-million programme by the year 2000.”