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Centres of Excellence Programme Portfolio Committee Arts, Culture, Science and Technology February 2004 Centres of Excellence Introduction Knowledge based economies require a good supply of scientists and researchers Demand continues to increase as governments and business increase investment in R&D Recent information R&D expenditure as % of GDP 0.76 in 2001 (0.69 in 1997) Goal - 1% GDP Availability of research skills 1.9 per 1000 South Korea 6.4 per 1000 Women researchers as % of total researchers 35.3% Department of Science and Technology Centres of Excellence Objectives Need to increase the supply of SET human capital for the South African economy To establish centres of research excellence Concentrate and strengthen existing centres of research excellence Provide an enabling environment for the pursuit of knowledge Investment by government builds a foundation for other sources of funds Department of Science and Technology Centres of Excellence Rationale Centres of sustained distinction in research in key areas of national and global areas of knowledge Generate highly qualified human resource capacity Concentrate and build on existing capacity Focus on innovation outcomes Production of post graduate researchers with employment Department of Science and Technology Centres of Excellence Rationale Collective nature of scientific production Global trend – increase in number of authors per article Collaborations result in higher output and quality Dynamics of scientific production in a discipline Resources to top scientists Average age of researchers Knowledge diffusion PhD and post-docs train as researchers Mobility through employment spreads scientific knowledge Department of Science and Technology Centres of Excellence Rationale Address research excellence in global standard To retain top-class scientists and researchers Well connected Well resourced Build on potential to become a centre of excellence Clear research excellence capacity building Department of Science and Technology Centres of Excellence Implementation Two approaches employed Identification of areas of need Three centres established with DST support African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS) SA Centre for Epidemiological Modelling and Analysis (SACEMA) Centre for Science, Technology and Innovation Indicators (CESTII) Department of Science and Technology Centres of Excellence Implementation Two approaches employed National Research Foundation (NRF) Open call for pre-proposals Assessed on Research focus Capacity development (incl. race and gender) Information brokerage and rendering of services Networking potential Competence of management Funding by other sources Department of Science and Technology Centres of Excellence Implementation Assessment of pre-proposals by expert panels Invitation to submit full proposal Assessment using same criteria as above Include international peer review Site visits Panel review Department of Science and Technology Centres of Excellence Implementation status Seventy pre-proposals received Thirteen invited to submit full proposals Ten funded to further develop Proposal Team Final assessment and selection in March 2004 Department of Science and Technology Centres of Excellence Looking Ahead Need to increase resourcing for programme Improve outcomes related to supply of researchers and scientists, knowledge production (basis for innovation), global competitiveness of South African Amount of research funding spent on ‘grantholder’ programmes should equal that spent on centres of excellence Department of Science and Technology Centres of Excellence Looking Ahead Co-ordinate centres of excellence programmes with DTI DEAT DME NDA Common set of goals and assessment criteria Different emphases linked to desired outcomes Department of Science and Technology Centres of Excellence Thank You Department of Science and Technology