2015 was declared the International Year of Light and Light-Based Technologies by the United Nations, which is particularly fitting for South Africa as a global hub for multi-wavelength astronomy. South Africa enjoys a long and successful track record of contributing to the global research agenda through its work in clinical medicine, environmental sciences, immunology, microbiology, physics and the social sciences, to name a few, and the National Research Foundation (NRF) plays a key role in supporting and developing the research and researchers who underpin the country’s burgeoning knowledge economy.
The NRF’s Strategy 2020 places renewed emphasis on the agency’s function and its role as a policy contributor as well as a policy implementer within the National System of Innovation (NSI). The NRF plays an integration role across the Science and Technology system and has the ability to catalyse focused, socially beneficial research and development in support of knowledge generation, human capacity development, and innovation.
Over the last five years the NRF has invested R6.2-billion in research, researchers, and students, which has yielded tangible benefits. For example, in terms of research pro- ductivity, we have seen an increase of 33% in ISI (Institute for Scientific Information) accredited research publications.
In addition, the number of doctoral students supported by the NRF has increased by 47% and the number of PhD graduates has increased by 39% per annum.
The rating of researchers is a critical component in the promotion of an internationally competitive NSI. The NRF views the rating process as a benchmark of global excellence. Over the last five years the organisation has increased the total number of rated researchers by 38%, with a 77% increase in black and a 52% increase in women researchers.
In support of globally competitive research and researchers, it is imperative to provide access to world-class infrastructure.
Over the past five years the NRF has invested R653-million in improving the infrastructure baseline across the system of innovation.
The organisation has contributed to major scientific endeavours such as the SKA (Square Kilometre Array) SA project, Centres of Excellence for Nanotechnology, Epidemiology and lately, has contributed to the Centre for the Aids Programmes of Research in South Africa.
The NRF, in partnership with the Department of Science and Technology, establishes and leverages off global inter-agency as well through bi- and multi-lateral science and technology agreements that allow local researchers access to a worldwide network of cutting-edge research infrastructure platforms such as the Large Hadron Collider at CERN (European Organisation for Nuclear Research) and the numerous telescopes around the world, from HESS (High Energy Stereoscopic System) in Namibia to ALMA (Atacama Large Millimeter/ submillimeter Array) in Chile.
The organisation acknowledges that if South Africa is to grow its global research contribution, then Africa has to be positioned in the global context. For this reason, the NRF actively invests in the African continent.
The Africa VLBI Network is a prime example of African collaboration at a continental level in order to contribute to the global SKA project.
Of course it is not just the researchers that the NRF endeavours to support. To fully realise the aspirations of building a strong knowledge economy for the benefit of all, it is imperative to communicate and engage with the wider community about science and its importance in growing a strong, healthy and globally competitive South Africa.
The organisation’s science engage- ment strategy focuses on aspects of science communication and sci- ence education. Co-ordinated by the South African Agency for Science and Technology Advancement and supported by the National Research Facilities and SKA SA, the NRF has reached more than 318 000 learners, 18 000 educators and 1 370 000 members of the public over the last year alone.
The NRF is a catalyst for growth and change and continues to pursue its agenda of transformation and excellence as the guiding principles in growing the knowledge economy. Ultimately, as an organisation, we believe that, through use of research and innovation, we can contribute to a better life for all of South Africa’s people.
The Excelleration Award
The NRF, as the custodian of funding for human capital development and knowledge generation within the National System of Innovation, focuses on excellence and good performance. In recognition of this, the NRF has introduced the Excelleration Award. The word “excelleration” is a portmanteau of the words “excellence” and “acceleration”.
The DST-NRF Centre of Excellence in Scientometrics and Science, Technology and Innovation Policy (SciSTIP), Elsevier, and Thomson Reuters were approached to conduct an analysis to identify those South African universities and research entities that have significantly increased their research performance in the past three to five years.
SciSTIP, Elsevier, and Thomson Reuters, using several approaches and factoring in a number of critical indicators, provided the NRF with enough information for it to make a decision.
The NRF is therefore pleased to announce that the joint winners of this inaugural award are the Central University of Technology and the University of Limpopo.