NACI Annual Report 2005/06

Briefing of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on S&T

24 October 2006

NACI delegation

• Prof Calie Pistorius (NACI Chair)

• Prof Tshilidzi Marwala (NACI Councillor)

• Dr Sagren Moodley (NACI Secretariat)

• Mr Tjaart van der Walt (DST)

• NACI Act– Objectives and functions– Composition and structure

• Meetings and management• Annual Report 2005/06

– Advice to the Minister– Extending NACI’s reach– Research projects in progress

• Financial report• Way forward• (NACI in context – providing science advice to

government)

Overview

National Advisory Council on Innovation Act, No 55 of 1997

NACI Act

NACI’s objectives

Shall advise the Minister and through the Minister, the Ministers Committee and the Cabinet, on:

• The role and contribution of science, mathematics, innovation and technology (including indigenous technologies)

• Promoting and achieving national objectives, namely – Improve and sustain the quality of life of all South

Africans– Develop human resources for S&T– Build the economy– Strengthen the country’s competitiveness in the

international sphere

NACI Act

NACI’s functions

May or shall on request of the Minister, advise on:• Coordination and stimulation of the National System of

Innovation (NSI)• Promotion of co-operation within the NSI• Development and maintenance of human resources for

innovation through selective support for education, training and R&D in the HE sector and at science councils, science and technology institutions (SETIs) and private institutions

NACI Act

NACI’s functions• Strategies for the promotion of technology innovation,

development, acquisition, transfer and implementation in all sectors

• International liaison and co-operation in the fields of science, technology and innovation

• Co-ordination of S&T policy and strategies with policies and strategies within policies and strategies in other environments

• Structuring, governance and co-ordination of the S&T system

• Identification of R&D priorities in consultation with provincial departments and interested parties, and their incorporation in the process of government funding of R&D

NACI Act

NACI’s functions• Funding of the science and technology system in respect

of its contributions to innovation, including:– Framework for national and government expenditure

on R&D– Building and maintenance of S&T capacity by way of

selective funding of training and R&D– Distribution of funds allocated to science councils– Funding of R&D in all sectors– Funding of national facilities utilised for research

NACI Act

NACI’s functions• Establishment, phasing out, rationalizing and

management of:– Science councils– National facilities utilised for research– National R&D programmes conducted by science

councils– SETIs within the NSI

• Promotion of mathematics, the natural sciences and technology in the education sector in consultation with the Minister of Education and the Minister of Labour

NACI Act

NACI’s functions• Strategies for

– Promotion of the dissemination and accessibility of scientific knowledge and technology

– Promotion of the public understanding of S&T and their understanding and their supportive role in innovation for development and progress

• Establishment and maintenance of IT systems to support– Monitoring and evaluation of the overall management

and functioning of the S&T system and the NSI– Continuous revision of S&T policy to address

changing and new circumstances

NACI Act

NACI’s functions• Developments in the fields of science technology and

innovation which may require new legislation• Any other matter relating to science, mathematics,

innovation and technology including indigenous technologies, which the Minister may refer to NACI

NACI Act

Structure of NACI• NACI Plenary Council

– Exco– Working groups

• SET4W subcommittee– Previously SARG

• Biotechnology subcommittee• Indicators group• Link to DST

– CEO of NACI is the DG of DST– Secretariat appointed in DST

Structure of NACI

• NACI is currently organized internally in 5 working groups (strategic thrusts)– Infrastructure for innovation promotion– Human capital and knowledge base– Science, technology and innovation for

competitiveness– Social dimensions of innovation– Position and role of NACI in the NSI

• New strategic plan for next phase

Composition of NACI

• Chairperson appointed by the Minister• 16 to 20 members appointed by the Minister

(after consultation with the Minister’s Committee and submission to the Cabinet for notification)

• CEO of NACI (DG of DST)• Officer from DTI (appointed by Minister with

the concurrence of the Minister of Trade & Industry)

NACI Act

Chair: Prof Calie Pistorius (VC, UP) ExCo: Prof Pistorius, Ms Abrahams, Dr Mjwara,

Dr Potgieter, Dr Tsengwa Composition of Council

SectorBusiness: 8; Higher Education: 7; Science Councils: 4; Government: 3

Black: 13 White: 9;Female: 6 Male: 16

Resources (staff and finances) are provided and administered within the DST system

Composition of NACI

What NACI is and is not• NACI is not:

– Science council (such as the CSIR, HSRC or the NRF), Think tank or R&D organisation, university

– NGOs or a public forum (NSTF)– Learned body or society (such as ASSAf, RSSA or SAAE)– Government department (particularly DST, DTI, DoL, DoE)

• NACI is a statutory advice body– Advice to the Minister (Minister’s Council and Cabinet, as

opposed to the Head of State, Parliament, Government)• Minister also has other options for advice, such as personal

advisor(s), DG and Department and others– Comparison to the Council of Higher Education

• Meetings• Council: four times p.a.

• ExCo:10 times p.a.• Sub-committees: As needed

• National: SET4W (4x); Biotech (2x); Indicators Reference Group (2x)

• Annual Corporate Business Plan as framework• Finances, procurement and human resources

within DST administrative and control systems

Meetings and management

• This Annual Report covers 2nd year of the present Council’s term of office (2004-2007)– Year ending 31 March 2006

• Implementation of planning done in August 2004• Activities during the year 2005/06

– Task group approach– Establishment of advice framework and priorities– Evidence-based advice: Research projects, leading to

advice in next year (…way forward)– A number of advices rendered to Minister– Extending NACI’s reach

Annual Report 2005-2006

• Improving the utilisation of research findings: increasing the return on R&D investment

• Shortage of technical skills: the potential impact of skills shortages on large engineering construction projects

• Mobility of research workers: to minimise negative effects and optimise positive effects

Advice to Minister

• Parliamentary Portfolio Committee briefing

• ASSAf, NSTF

• International liaison– OECD, peer advisory bodies, GLOBELICS

• National advisory committees– SET4W

• ASGISA and JIPSA

• Contributions to international conferences

Extending NACI’s reach

• Tracking of R&D expenditure (suite of 8 projects)• Required physical infrastructure for NSI• Mapping the knowledge base of South Africa• Competitiveness in large, medium, small and

micro enterprises• Gender equity policy• Dynamic modelling of human resources• Best practices in STI policy and governance• OECD report

Evidence-based advice: Research projects

Identification of priorityIdentification of priority

Scoping exercise –objectives, existing information, feasibility: Secretariat

Scoping exercise –objectives, existing information, feasibility: Secretariat

Provisional approval as priority: SubcommitteeProvisional approval as priority: Subcommittee

Draft ToR – objectives, design and methodology, expected outcomes, estimated budget: Secretariat

Draft ToR – objectives, design and methodology, expected outcomes, estimated budget: Secretariat

Approval of ToR by ExCo / CouncilApproval of ToR by ExCo / Council

Call for proposals – Media call, liaison with Supply Chain management (DST): Secretariat

Call for proposals – Media call, liaison with Supply Chain management (DST): Secretariat

Evaluation of proposals according to the rules of the Public Finance Management Act:

Secretariat rules: Secretariat

Evaluation of proposals according to the rules of the Public Finance Management Act:

Secretariat rules: SecretariatSubcommittee considers proposals and

evaluation reports

Subcommittee considers proposals and evaluation reports

ExCo / Council approves service provider and gives final approval: ExCo

ExCo / Council approves service provider and gives final approval: ExCo

Contract drafted: SecretariatContract drafted: Secretariat

Approval of contract by Legal Services (DST): Secretariat

Approval of contract by Legal Services (DST): Secretariat

Contract to service provider for signature: Secretariat

Contract to service provider for signature: Secretariat

Service provider initiates and undertakes project

Service provider initiates and undertakes project

Contract signed by NACI or delegated DST official: Secretariat

Contract signed by NACI or delegated DST official: Secretariat

Project approvals

Financial report

Expenditure 2005 - 2006

Notes1. Resources are allocated

by DST as a sub-programme

2. Processing and control is done by DST

MTEF ALLOCATION

2 000

4 000

6 000

8 000

10 000

2003/04 2004/05 2005/06 2006/07 2007/08

Financial year

R'0

00

Item R’000 %

Advice development 5,134 66.6

Institutional cost 2,326 30.2

Other (incl equipment) 242 3.2

The way forward….

• Advice already handed to the Minister this year (2006/07)– OECD report– Three advisory notes (August 2006)

• Research outputs (ASSAf)• Proposed IPR legislation• Tax incentives for R&D

• Advice/briefings scheduled for presentation to Minister in November 2006:– Gender policy– Best practices in the NSI– Required infrastructure for the NSI– Tracking of R&D expenditure– Innovation and competitiveness– Dynamic modelling of human resources– Optimising NACI’s advisory role: Providing science

advice to government

The way forward…

The way forward….

• Strategic planning session– Setting the agenda for the next phase– NACI’s format and operation

• Optimising NACI’s role within a system of providing science advice to government