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The Ten-Year Innovation Plan for South Africa: Opportunities for International Partnerships

International Conference on Scientific and Technological Innovation: International Conference on Scientific and Technological Innovation: National Experience and International CooperationNational Experience and International Cooperation

Novotneho Lavka, 5, Prague, Czech Republic, 21 May 2009

Vuyani Lingela, General Manager,International Cooperation and Research

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Contents

1. Innovation Policy Landscape2. Economic Transformation – towards a

knowledge-based economy3. SA’s “Grand Challenges”4. Innovation as a National Imperative

Innovation Instruments Human Capital Development S&T Across Government

5. Conclusion

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Policy landscape

S&T WhitePaper

R&D Strategy S&T missions

10Yr InnovationPlan

OECD Reviewof SA NSI

1996 2002 2004 2007

Creationof DST

New public S&T missionsBiotechnologyICTAdvanced manufacturingAstronomy

Knowledge-based economyGrand challengesHuman capital development

NSI SWOTBenchmarked

Developing the NSI

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Towards a Knowledge Economy

RESOURCE-BASED ECONOMY

KNOWLEDGE-BASED ECONOMY

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The Knowledge Economy

The Four Pillars of the Knowledge Economy

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Towards a Knowledge Economy

• Knowledge is the basic form of capital for Innovation Knowledge generation, accumulation and

exploitation• Economic growth is driven by Innovation

Key driver for Innovation is “high-end” human capital: PhD

PhD as the key foundation for achieving the objectives of the National System of Innovation (NSI)

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Economic & Scientific Wealth

Source: DA King, Nature 430 (2004) 311 (15 July 2004)

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The Ten-Year Innovation Plan

Enablers

Farmer to pharma

Human & social science

Global change

EnergySpace science

Technology development and innovation

Human capital - Centres of excellence, South African research chairs initiative, professional development

programme, etc.

Knowledge infrastructure – Science councils, state-owned enterprises, global projects

Cross- cutting enablers

Grand challenges

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Farmer to Pharmaceutical

For South Africa’s biotechnology industry to grow, a number of critical factors need to be satisfied, including:

• Greater networking and collaboration (domestic and international) across all sectors (academia, science councils, industry and government)

• The development of business skills to help identify viable projects• A clearer strategic focus on selected platforms and markets• Improved funding mechanisms to close the gap between basic

research and commercialisation; and shorter turnaround times between application and receipt of funding

• Investment in platforms (including infrastructure) to bridge the gap between research and commercial

• Implementation South Africa has a range of natural

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Societal benefits of space science

• Disasters - Reducing loss of life and property from natural and human-induced disasters

• Health - Understanding environmental factors affecting human health

• Energy - Managing energy resources• Climate variability and change - Adapting to climate variability and

change• Water - Improving resource management• Weather - Improving forecasting and warning• Protection of ecosystems - Improved management of terrestrial,

coastal, and marine resources• Agriculture - Supporting sustainable agriculture and combating

desertification• Conserving biodiversity - Understanding, monitoring, and

conserving biodiversity

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Space industry

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Energy

• Major R&D ThrustsClean coalNuclear technologies in support Eskom Build

ProgrammeRenewables (Special focus on Solar

technologies)Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies

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SAEOSS

Societal benefits of earth observation

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Human and social science

• In today’s world, behaviour, science and technology are deeply intertwined,

• The socioeconomic problems that we face require focused work by teams of cross-disciplinary experts;

• Technologies cannot be developed without giving thought to how they will affect and be received by human beings.

• to increase our ability to anticipate the complex consequences of change;

• to better understand the dynamics of human and social behaviour at all levels;

• to better understand the cognitive and social structures that create and define change; and

• to help people and organisations better manage profound or rapid change.

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Innovation Instruments

TIA

Production &Commercialisation

Development

KnowledgeProduction

Bridging the “Innovation Chasm”

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•Research Chairs

•PGP & HCD instruments

•RISA instruments

COEs

Centres of Competency

Basic Applied Tech Develop Transfer & Proliferation

DOE/NRF NRF/DST DST/TIA PBF/DTI

•Innovation Fund

•BRICs

•SPII & PII

•SEDA

•Khula

•IDC

Publications/new knowledge Patents/new knowledge products

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Basic Applied Tech Develop Transfer & Proliferation

NRF

SpecialistResearch Funds

InternationalResearch Funds

TIAIDC

VentureCapital

SEDA

PBF

Publications/new knowledge Patents/new knowledge products

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IP Support

EnterpriseDevelopment

TI Fund VentureCapital Access

Competency Centres

BRICS

HydrogenEconomy

AMI

AMTS

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Human Capital Development

• Increase the number of knowledge workers: Researchers

• Increase the productivity of researchers

• Address inequalities: Race, gender, regional & institutional distribution

• Introducing appropriate Innovation Instruments in the National System of Innovation

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Knowledge-based Economies

Selected Countries PhD production rates Profile

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114

157

10

188

7

53

140

221

43

0.00

50.00

100.00

150.00

200.00

250.00

SouthAfrica

China India Japan SouthKorea

Taiwan UK USA Australia Brazil

PhD

's/y

ear/m

illio

n of

pop

ulat

ion

19992000200120022003

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Strategic Positioning

Country FactorChina?? X 0.34 India?? X 0.44 Brazil X 1.9 Taiwan X 2.3 Japan X 4.9 USA X 6.1 South Korea

X 6.8

UK X 8.2Australia X 9.7

South AfricaIn

2026 (20 yrs)

A 5 x increase to present situation

South AfricaIn

2026 (20yrs)

A 10 x increase to future situation

IN WHICH LEAGUE DO WE WANT TO PLAY?

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Points of leverage from current situation

HG Maths and Science ~ per yr

Existing National SETpipeline (2005)

SET graduation rates ~per yr

Hons grad rates~ per yr

Masters ~ per yr (incl. coursework)

PhD’s ~ per yr

26,000 33,500 3,200 2,900 561

1 2

1. < 10% proceed from a basic degree to pursue honours

2. Only 19% proceed from Masters to Doctoral studies

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Research Outputs(International Comparison)

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Research Outputs(Patents)

PCT INTERNATIONAL APPLICATIONS ORIGINATING FROM SELECTED DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

4000

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

1998 485 322 0 127 114 67

1999 790 240 281 61 144 126 51

2000 1514 579 386 156 225 161 71

2001 2324 1678 419 316 288 173 104

2002 2520 1017 384 525 330 201 132

2003 2951 1293 355 764 282 220 131

2004 3521 1782 416 784 415 280 137

R.Korea China South Africa

India Singapore. Brazil Mexico

25South African NationalSouth African National ResourcesResources

ICSTI Member SatesICSTI Member Sates

HigherEducation

Research Institutions Industry Government/Public

Institutions

HigherEducation

Research Institutions Industry Government/Public

InstitutionsInnovation Actors

Conclusions

GrandChallenges

Farmer to pharmer

Sapcescience Energy Global

changeHuman and

Social science

Innovation Actors

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THANK YOUVuyani Lingela, General Manager: International Cooperation and Research,

Department of Science and Technology

Email: Vuyani.Lingela@dst.gov.zaTel: +27 12 843 6517, Cell: +27 82 600 4722, Fax: +27 86 681 0051

Postal Address: Private Bag X 894, Pretoria 0001, South AfricaPhysical Address: Building 53, Meiring Naude Road, CSIR Campus, Pretoria

0184, South Africa