Applying scientific thinking
in the service of society
Annual Performance Plan 2013/2014
Presentation to
Science and Technology
Parliamentary Portfolio Committee
18 April 2013
1
ASSAF Mandate
Dual Mandate
• To honour distinguished scholars in all fields
of scientific enquiry
• To generate evidence-based solutions to
national and global challenges
2
ASSAf Goals
• Recognition and reward of excellence
• Promotion of innovation and scholarly
activity
• Promotion of effective, evidence-based
scientific advice
• Promotion of interest in and awareness of
science education
• Promotion of national, regional and
international linkages
3
Alignment with Government Goals
• Strengthening skills and resource base
• Regional development, African
advancement and international
cooperation
• Improvement of the health profile of
society
• Improvement of rural development and
food security
• Improvement of environmental assets and
natural resources
4
Governance
and
Administration
Policy
Advisory
Programme
Programmes of
Academy
Communication
and
Publications
Secretariat
Scholarly
Publishing
Programme
Liaison
Activities
5
Key Achievements of Governance
& Administration in 2011/2012
• Appointment of Council advisor – Prof Daya Reddy
• Appointment of new NACI representative to Council
• Four Council meetings held
• Unqualified audit achieved
• Member elections – 35 new Members elected →total of
368 Members
6
Governance and Administration
2013/2014
• Promote good governance
-
Compliance, audits, financial and HR management
• Promote recognition of Members & participation in ASSAf
activities
-
Annual Awards, AGM, Member Election, ASSAf Panels,
Member Database, Scholarly Lectures
• Pursue closer alignment of ASSAf activities & DST goals
• Coordinate discussions on ASSAf strategic goals
-
Membership - representation wrt race, gender,
science discipline, innovative Membership models
-
Sustainability of ASSAf
-
Enhanced role of ASSAf
7
Key Achievements of Scholarly
Publishing Programme in 2011/2012
• National Scholarly Editors’ Forum (NSEF)
– Aimed at enhancing quality of editing of scholarly
journals
– Hosted fifth annual meeting
• National Scholarly Book Publishers’ Forum
– Finalisation and presentation of recommendations
pertaining to ‘National Scholarly Books Fund’
– Hosted two meetings
• Discipline-grouped peer review of SA scholarly journals
– 4 reports nearing completion
8
Key Achievements of Scholarly
Publishing Programme in 2011/2012
• Open Access Platform
– Continued uploading of journals on to OA platform
(SciELO SA) – 22 titles
– Daily visits to SciELO SA were 1500 in Feb 2012
• Online scientific writing – IAMP funding
– Completion of modules for 4-tiered modular system
– Hosted workshop for young medical science
graduates
• Access to core commercial databases
– Presentation of report to stakeholders and
implementation of recommendations
9
Scholarly Publishing Programme
2013/2014
•
Promote Access to Knowledge Resources
Increase number of titles on Open Access platform
Optimise research access through visibility, usage, uptake
and impact
•
Undertake Quality Assurance (journals, books & collected works)
Establish peer-review panels
Publication of discipline-grouped peer-review panel reports
Coordinate activities of National Scholarly Publishers’ Forum
Coordinate activities of National Scholarly Editors’ Forum
•
Enhance Scientific Writing for Scholarly Publishing
- A nationally coordinated, low cost-to-user online course
system
- Aimed at enhancing the quality of scientific writing for
emerging researchers
10
• Volume 109 (Volume 1: 1905)
• 2011 ISI impact factor = 0.78
• New design and branding (Jan 2013)
• New website (Dec 2012) – 5000 visits to date
• New Editor-in-Chief (Nov 2012) – John Butler-Adam
• New submission site (Sep 2012)
– 125 submissions (±1 per day)
– 24% acceptance
11
Key Achievements of Policy
Advisory Programme in 2011/2012
• Completion of two consensus studies
– “Towards a Low Carbon City: Focus on Durban”
– “The State of the Humanities in South Africa”
• Hosted workshop on “Pathways towards a Low Carbon
City” at COP-17 meeting in Durban – Nov 2011
• Launch of joint IOM/ASSAf report on “The Emerging
Threat of Drug-resistant TB in Southern Africa”
• Hosted workshop with IOM on “Envisioning a Strategy to
prepare for Long-term Burden of HIV/AIDS”
12
Key Achievements of Policy
Advisory Programme in 2011/2012
• M&E of consensus study report on “Clinical Research in
SA” – contributed to DoH plan to strengthen health
research in SA
• Hosted workshop and published policymakers’ booklet
together with NASAC academies on “Science, Water &
Sanitation: Supporting Equitable and Sustainable
Development in Southern Africa”
• Hosted symposium on “Nuclear Energy Safety”
• Hosted workshop with Mauritius Academy of Science &
Technology on “Agricultural Genetic Modification Policy
in Africa”
13
Key Achievements of Policy
Advisory Programme in 2011/2012
• Launched policymakers’ booklet on “Inquiry-based
Science Education: Increasing Participation of Girls in
Science in sub-Saharan Africa” – produced together with
NASAC academies
•Established Standing Committee on Health and obtained
Council approval for Standing Committee on Humanities
14
Policy Advisory Programme
2013/2014
•
Initiate and facilitate evidence-based projects on
Health, Education, Humanities, Biosafety & Biosecurity,
Environment & Energy Studies
•
Reconceptualise ASSAf Forum Studies
•
Increased generation of Assessment Studies on national
priority areas
•
Conduct commentaries on government policies
•
Localisation/domestication of evidence-based reports
15
Policy Advisory Programme
2013/2014
• Health
– Publication & dissemination of consensus study on
“Improved Nutritional Assessment of Micronutrients”
– Workshop on National Health Insurance
– Planned consensus study on “Reproductive Health in SA
Schools”
– Planned consensus study on “Training of Health
Professionals”
– Monitoring implementation of recommendations of
“Clinical Research” consensus study
16
Policy Advisory Programme
2013/2014
Humanities Studies
- Organise an international conference on Humanities
- Engage with key stakeholders to promote Humanities in SA
Education Studies
- Promote Inquiry-Based Science Education in South Africa
-
Implementation of La Main a la Pâte pilot study in Gauteng
-
Source financial support for a Consensus Study on Revitalising
Agricultural Education and Training
17
Policy Advisory Programme
2013/2014
Environment Studies
-
Publish Proceedings Report - Technologies for a Low Carbon Society
-
Assessment Study on State of Green Technologies in South Africa
-
Launch Policymakers’ Booklet Science, Water, Sanitation in
Zimbabwe
Energy Studies
-
Disseminate Proceedings Report on Nuclear Energy Safety
-
Assessment study on State of Energy Research in South Africa
Biosafety
-
Consensus Study on the State of Biosafety & Biosecurity in SA
-
Launch Policymakers’ Booklet on GMOs in Kenya
18
Key Achievements of Liaison
Programme in 2011/2012
• Awarded Sydney Brenner postdoctoral fellowship
• Awarded 2 Science-for-Society Gold Medals
• Hosted Distinguished Visiting Scholar – Prof Ernst-Ludwig
Winnacker
• Hosted annual Young Scientists’ Conference –
“Changing Lives through Chemistry”
• Launched SA Young Academy of Science (SAYAS) in
Sept 2011
–provide secretariat support
19
Key Achievements of Liaison
Programme in 2011/2012
• Continued presidency of NASAC
• Engaged in Academy capacity building initiatives with
Mauritus and Zimbabwe
• Signed MoU with Mauritius Academy of Science and
technology (MAST)
• Completed study on State of Women in S&T in SA as part
of Organisation of Women in Science in Developing
Countries (OWSD) study – launched at AAAS meeting in
Vancouver in Feb 2012
• Completed study on State of Women in S&T in Swaziland
for UNESCO
20
Liaison Programme
2013/2014
• Strengthen Relations with International Science
Academies & Networks
Participate in global scientific meetings - IAP, G Science, IAC,
TWAS, OWSD, STSf & IAMP
- Provide capacity building & support to African national
science academies & NASAC
- Coordinate participation of SA scientists in global science
activities
- Host IAMP General Assembly & scientific conference
-
21
Liaison Programme
2013/2014
•
Strengthen Relations with National Stakeholders in NSI
-
Increased engagement with government departments
Increased engagement with PPC
Pursue multi-governmental cooperation in identifying & providing
evidence-based solutions to critical societal challenges
Establish collaborative links with stakeholders i.e. business,
embassies & research &technology institutions
Host & serve as secretariat for COHORT
-
22
Liaison Programme
2013/2014
• Promote young scientists’ activities
- Organise & host Annual Young Scientists’ Conference
-
Identify & nominate young scientists for international activities
Promote participation of young scientists in national scientific activities
Collaborate with and support SAYAS
• Recognise, reward and promote excellence in
science
- Award Science-for-Society gold medals to distinguished scientists
-
Facilitate recruitment of Sydney Brenner postdoctoral fellows
Identify & facilitate lectures by the Distinguished Visiting Scholar(s)
Coordinate Regional Scholarly Lectures with science academies
23
Key Achievements of Comms. &
Publications in 2011/2012
• 4 issues of Quest published – print run of 25 000
• Quest was marketed at 14 science events
• Advertising in Quest increased by > 50% compared with
previous year
• 26 media statements released
• South African Journal of Science
– 6 issues published
– Completed report on SAJS Business Strategy →
greater emphasis on News & Views (analysis of S&T
policy)
24
Communication and Publications
2013/2014
• Initiate a campaign to raise Academy’s Profile
• Production & dissemination of ASSAf Policy Advisory Reports
• Monitoring the impact & uptake of evidence-based reports
• Production & dissemination of SAJS
• Production & dissemination of Quest magazine
• Promote usage of Quest Interactive Website
• Monitor usage & impact of Quest magazine in schools and
other learning institutions
• Raising science awareness & engagement through
cooperation with government, learning institutions, science
advancement entities & business
25
Quest
• Quest: Science for South Africa - full-colour,
quarterly, popular science magazine, supported
by DST, endorsed by DoE.
• Print-run 25 000 per issue
• Aimed at learners, educators, scientific community,
academics, decision-makers and public
• Distributed to Dinaledi & public high schools with science
departments & at national science events
Improve Quest Impact
• Targeted distribution strategy
• Formalise cooperation DoE, University Education
Departments, SAASTA, science centres
26
PROJECTED BUDGET SUMMARY
MTEF PERIOD: 2013/14 TO 2015/16
Income
Details
2013/14
2014/15
2015/16
R
R
R
Department of Science and Technology funding:
Baseline (parliamentary grant)
20,744,000
21,577,000
22,991,000
Income from publications
250,000
250,000
250,000
Interest receivable
400,000
400,000
400,000
Membership fees receivable
78,000
82,000
86,000
Oppenheimer Memorial Trust
220,000
220,000
240,000
17,500
17,500
17,500
21,709,500
22,546,500
23,984,500
Other income - Cohort secretariat
Total projected income
Expenditures
Details
2013/14
2014/15
2015/16
R
R
R
Administration and governance
4,544,540
4,771,767
5,010,356
Communication
1,443,782
1,567,496
1,669,871
Liaison - national and international
3,634,684
3,816,418
4,007,239
Policy advisory programme
2,593,085
2,722,739
2,858,876
Publications
3,493,409
3,668,079
3,838,158
Scholarly publishing programme
6,000,000
6,000,000
6,600,000
Sustainability fund
Total projected expenditures
-
21,709,500
-
22,546,500
-
23,984,500
27
Thank you
www.assaf.org.za
28