National Research Foundation (nrf): Business Plan 2008/9- 2010/11

National Research Foundation (NRF): Business Plan 2008/9- 2010/11

MANDATE OF THE NRF

Promote and support research through funding human resource development and the provision of the necessary research facilities in order to facilitate the creation of knowledge, innovation and development in all fields of science and technology, including indigenous knowledge and thereby to contribute to the improvement of the quality of life of all the people of the Republic

STRATEGIC RENEWAL
(Organisational learning)

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PROCESS OF CONSULTATION

0. Draft plan on Web for 6 weeks

1. Questionnaire: national and international stakeholders and partners

2. Briefing session with DG and senior DST officials

3. Business breakfast with DGs and senior officials of the public sector

4. Discussions with Science Councils, ASSAf, CHE, etc.

OUTCOME: NRF VISION 2015

World-class research

Transformed society

Sustainable environment

For the benefit of the present and future generations

NRF MISSION

To contribute to the knowledge economy in South Africa by attaining at least 1% of global R&D output by 2015

NRF LINKAGE TO DST 10-YEAR INNOVATION PLAN

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STRATEGIC GOALS (5 point plan)
1.Promote internationally competitive research for a

knowledge economy

2. Grow representative S&T workforce

3. Provide cutting edge research, technology and

innovation platforms

4. Operate world-class evaluation and grant-making systems

5. Contribute to a vibrant national innovation system

NRF CORE COMPETENCIES

•Grant management systems

•Research evaluation systems

•State-of-the-art research platforms

•Research capacity at National Research Facilities

•Science advancement expertise

•Science and technology management expertise

•Strategic information accumulation/dissemination

•Catalysing local and international research cooperation networks and partnerships

NRF VISION & COMPOSITION

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RESEARCH AND INNOVATION SUPPORT AND ADVANCEMENT (RISA)

RISA VALUE ADDITION

0. Overarching emphasis on human capital development, knowledge management and evaluation

1. Providing comprehensive grant making and management service

2. Managing peer review mechanisms for independent and objective decision making

3. Applying expertise and experience of research management e.g. CoE, SARChI

4. Serving system initiatives through partnerships (DST, HEIs, DoL, the dti, DEAT)

THE NATIONAL RESEARCH FACILITIES:
ITHEMBA LABS, SAIAB, SAAO, NZG, HARTRAO (SKA), HMO

NATIONAL RESEARCH FACILITIES: SCIENCE PLATFORMS

Provide HEIs and Science Councils with

0. Large equipment or facilities for research

1. Opportunities for cutting-edge research

2. Opportunities for human capital development

3. Attracting & facilitating international collaborations

4. Potential for networking

5. Opportunities for science awareness, education & communication

SOUTH AFRICAN AGENCY FOR SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY ADVANCEMENT (SAASTA)

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SCIENCE ADVANCEMENT

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NRF INVESTMENT PRINCIPLES

0. Competitive funding

1. Healthy balance: strategy-push vs. demand-pull

2. Merit-based and rigorous peer review

3. Transformation, excellence: will be monitored and rewarded

4. The Ph.D. as a driver

5. Cross-fertilisation of talent within NSI (NRF, others)

6. Effective, goal oriented resource allocation

7. Fairness, transparency, accountability

SEVEN INVESTMENT AREAS

Broad Investment Areas : % of budget
Established researchers

18%
Human Capital Development and unrated researchers

23%
Strategic knowledge fields

23%
Strategic Platforms (Including research at National Research Facilities)

11%
International initiatives

11%
Applied & Industrial Research & Innovation (THRIP)

14%
Community Engagement Research

0.2%

TOTAL: 100%

ESTABLISHED RESEARCHERS: KNOWLEDGE GENERATION

0. Guaranteed funding for rated researchers from 2008

1. Normal competitive funding of research proposals

2. NRF currently funding 40% of fundable research projects

3. NRF currently funding 30% of student applications

4. Considerable room for increased investment in Human Capital

HUMAN CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT: UNRATED RESEARCHERS

0. Competitive support for rated researchers

1. Current funding programmes for unrated researchers to continue

2. Special suite of interventions for black, female researchers and institutional capacity development to continue

HUMAN CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT: STUDENTS & BURSARY VALUES

0. 13% growth over two years in number of students supported

1. Total number of students supported 2006/07: 4458

2. Projection 2007/08: 4431 (Actual achievement pending)

3. Target for 2008/09: 5062

0. Revised values for grantholder-linked bursaries: 2008

(R 30 million additional investment)

0. Final year undergraduate (F-t) - R8 000 pa

1. Honours / BTech (Full-time) R8 000 R15 000 pa

2. Masters degree (Full-time) R20 000 R30 000 pa

3. Doctoral degree (Full-time) R35 000 R45 000 pa

4. Postdoctoral (pro rata per month)R60 000 R80 000 pa

5. Staff development bursary R15 000 R25 000 pa

HUMAN CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT: WHY THE PHD?

0. Pinnacle qualification

1. Definition: “Broadening the frontiers of knowledge.”

2. Self employed innovators and job creators

3. Only 37% of instructional staff at SA HEIs hold a PHD

4. PhD student supervision > 10:1; ideal 5:1

5. 85% of new jobs in knowledge service work (Drucker)

6. Investment in humans key competitive advantage (Michael Porter)

THE PHD PIPELINE in SA :

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PHD ENROLMENT vs. GRADUATION

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PHD PRODUCTION RATES FOR SELECTED COUNTRIES

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ANNUAL PHD FAIR END MAY- FLAGSHIP OF PHD PROJECT

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EOC – SAEP GRADS FROM 1980 – 00

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HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT: PHD PROJECT ROLL-OUT

0. Launched successfully Nov 2007

1. PhD project office established

2. Key activities for 2008

3. PhD Fair in May (300 potential doctoral candidates)

4. international support - funding & placement

5. # doctoral graduates to 1 800 by 2010

POST GRAD FUNDING SCENARIOS

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STRATEGIC KNOWLEDGE FIELDS

•Focus Area approach & current Focus Area programmes reviewed:

to be phased out

•New approach: support for

•discipline-based fundamental research (demand pull)

•national strategic knowledge fields (strategy push)

Current strategic knowledge fields

0. Indigenous Knowledge systems

1. South African Biosystematics Initiative

2. Marine and Coastal Management

3. African Origins Programme

4. Multi-wavelength Astronomy

5. South African National Antarctic Programme (SANAP)

6. Areas of Geographic Advantage Programme (AGAP)

7. Nanotechnology Programme

8. Areas covered by National Research Facilities

Grand challenges

0. Bio-economy

1. Space Science and Technology

2. Energy security

3. Global climate change

4. Human and social dynamics

DISCIPLINES vs. GRAND CHALLENGES

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STRATEGIC PLATFORMS

National Research Facilities: Roll-out of 5-year research plans

0. HartRAO: ramp up & operational integration of SKA activities; KAT, MeerKat, Space Geodesy

1. SAAO: ongoing commissioning of SALT

2. HMO: seek funding for Ihlabathi project

3. SAIAB: acceleration of ACEP

4. SAEON: strengthening rolled-out nodes

5. NZG: increase research capability; Life Sciences Centre

6. iThemba LABS: iTPTC

RISA to host RIMS platform

INTERNATIONAL INITIATIVES

0. Rationalise & streamline international activities

1. Strengthen international collaboration

2. Focus on Africa

3. Review and reinforce support for ICSU Regional Office for Africa

SCIENCE AWARENESS (SAASTA)

0. Establish research programme on community engagement with science

1. Operationalise science outreach activities at refurbished Johannesburg Observatory site

2. Collaboration with DoE on Dinaledi Schools MST programme

INNOVATION FUND: HIGH RISK INVESTMENTS

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R&D INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO SINCE 1999

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KEY CHALLENGES: 2008-2009
Redefine role of NRF in relation to:

–TIA and NSA, Grand Challenges;

–Review positioning of selected National Research Facilities (SANAP, Biodiversity & Conservation)

•Implement research plans (National Research Facilities)

•National Research Facilities infrastructure upgrade

•NRF Vision 2015: Phased implementation

•In real terms, declining MTEF core allocation (e.g. RISA core grant – 97.4% of MTEF committed to grant making)

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