THE White Paper for science and technology is, in many ways, a model of legislation. The consultation process was inclusive, gathering together scientists, technologists and engineers from all sectors. The Ministry of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology was receptive to its constituency and tried to accommodate everyone’s views and needs. And the resulting document is a blueprint for necessary change: streamlining the science and technology sector, and foregrounding science in our society.
The White Paper envisages science and technology as the engine of an economic miracle and a force for social change and delivery. Many scientists have dreamed of building Utopian societies with technology, but a quick look at the history of science shows that it takes more than ground- breaking ideas and elegant blueprints.
For technology to be useful, the political and social climate has to be receptive. And in this country, where technology was the slave of defence and sanctions priorities, there has to be a strong political will to push through the necessary changes.
Two areas are crucial.
The first is co-operation with other departments. The departments of Defence, Mineral and Energy Affairs, Trade and Industry and Health all have sci-tech components. Some crucial aspects of the sector fall under the control of the Department of Education, charged with imbuing a new generation with an understanding of science. Without the co- operation of this department, the biggest government funder of university research, positive results from the White Paper would be severely curtailed.
Other departments, too, need to get on board for the White Paper to succeed. The Department of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology is responsible for ensuring the success of the White Paper, but it can’t do this on its own. The goals of the White Paper need to become the goals of all the players.
The second essential prerequisite for success is money. The White Paper proposes an innovation fund to encourage creative research and mobilise industry-academic collaboration. But the impact of this fund will not be widely felt if the money is not made available from the government. For its other projects, too, the department needs funds. No amount of streamlining the science and technology sector can make up for the ill effects of underfunding research and development, as statistics from other countries show.
The scientists have done their job, and it’s a good one. Now it’s over to the politicians.