1

High-Level Human Capital for the

National System of Innovation Presentation to the Portfolio Committee

for Science and Technology of the National Assembly

18 August2010

2

Delivery on the Government’s Mandate

• The MTSF has identified skills, including high-level skills, as a significant constraint in the ongoing development of the economy and society.

• SA must increase its investment and return in human capital development particularly in science, engineering and technology if we are to achieve “an equitable, sustainable, and inclusive growth path that brings decent work and sustainable livelihoods; education; health; safe and secure communities; and rural development”.

3

HRD-SAHRD-SA• Commitment Six: We will improve the technological

and innovation capability and outcomes within the public and private sectors (includes persons in employment) to enhance our competitiveness in the global economy and to meet our human development priorities.– Strategic Priority 6.1: To increase the supply of skilled

personnel in areas of Science, Engineering and Technology

– Strategic Priority 6.2: To improve South Africa’s performance in areas of teaching, research, innovation and the commercial application of high-level science, engineering and technology knowledge

4

Outcomes Framework• “a skilled and capable workforce to support

an inclusive growth path”. – Output 4: Increase access to high level

occupationally-directed programmes in needed areas – increasing the graduate output in the natural and physical sciences and engineering.

– Output 5: Research, development and Innovation in human capital for a growing knowledge economy – increase output of honours, masters, doctoral and post-doctoral fellows; provide increased support to industry-university partnerships; and increase investment in research and development, especially in the science, engineering and technology sector.

5

Priority Skills and Research Areas

• The five grand challenges:– The bio-economy, – Expanding the limits of space

science and technology,– In search of energy security,– Science and technology in

response to global change,– Human and social dynamics.

• The five geographical advantage areas:– Astronomy,– Human palaeontology,– Biodiversity,– Antarctic research, and– Indigenous knowledge.

• Scarce and Critical Skills– Engineering and built

environment– Animal and Human health

Sciences– Natural and physical sciences,

including agricultural sciences– Economic sciences – esp

accounting and actuarial sciences

– Social sciences and humanities – esp teacher education and histrory

6

Research and Innovation Enablers• Infrastructure and Equipment

– Scientific Equipment: discrete, free standing or mounted, desk-top to large, dedicated or multi-purpose.

– Specialized Facilities: A physical and/or organisational structure that provides a controlled environment for specialized experiments and is required to ensure the optimal performance of research equipment.

– Cyber-infrastructure: Comprehensive ICT -based infrastructures such as high performance computing, research networks, and data storage and management systems.

– High-end Infrastructure: infrastructure at the interface between the R&D and commercialization. e.g. pilot plants, incubators, and technology demonstrators.

– Global Infrastructure: International large infrastructures, both single-sited and distributed ones linked by high-speed networks for optimal sharing of data and resources.

• People

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High Level Human Capital• Education WP 3, outlines mandate of universities in a

knowledge-driven world. – “Human resource development: the mobilisation of human

talent and potential through lifelong learning to contribute to the social, economic, cultural and intellectual life of a rapidly changing society.

– High-level skills training: the training and provision of person power to strengthen this country's enterprises, services and infrastructure. This requires the development of professionals and knowledge workers with globally equivalent skills, but who are socially responsible and conscious of their role in contributing to the national development effort and social transformation.

– Production, acquisition and application of new knowledge: national growth and competitiveness is dependent on continuous technological improvement and innovation, driven by a well-organised, vibrant research and development system which integrates the research and training capacity of higher education with the needs of industry and of social reconstruction.”

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University Enrolments

500

550

600

650

700

750

800

850

Thou

sand

s

Head count 590,000 599,000 608,000 585,000 588,000 638,000 675,000 718,000 744,000 735,000 741,000 760,000 799,000

1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

Student head count

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Shape of EnrolmentsEnrolments by Qualification Type

0

50000

100000

150000

200000

250000

300000

350000

400000

Occasional 12275 17682 20762 24766 23175 19264 22633 25679 27470

National diploma 145351 134552 138286 160344 190092 182113 177153 179052 185635

Undergraduate degrees 283144 313293 338567 352440 345354 348436 360572 370037 382088

Postgraduate below Masters 51922 56112 61385 64021 69263 61434 58510 59185 66917

Masters degrees 31816 35319 39463 43685 45331 44321 42899 41164 41711

Doctoral degrees 6400 6980 7766 8375 9104 9434 9828 10048 9994

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

10

Shape of Total GraduatesTotal Graduates

0

10000

20000

30000

40000

50000

60000

Occasional 55 136 222 184 117 33 123 48 383

National diploma 15158 16565 17667 19873 21041 20544 22445 23207 24250

Undergraduate degrees 41541 38399 39111 41968 46276 48444 51242 52292 54594

Postgraduate below Masters 17266 19045 20995 22432 24574 23253 21983 22119 23861

Masters degrees (Non Research) 0 0 0 4905 4472 4271 4026 4073 3734

Masters degrees (Research) 6151 6630 6975 2619 3424 3751 3857 3440 3780

Doctoral degrees 973 900 985 1052 1105 1189 1100 1274 1182

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

11

International Profile of Post Graduates

Post-graduate graduates by Nationality

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

South Africa 17818 19889 21053 21736 21010 21163 22094

SADC 1049 1199 1478 1644 1712 1828 2102

Rest of Africa 447 576 660 654 720 695 778

Rest of the World 446 537 639 717 649 593 527

Unknown 184 177 207 185 202 188 250

2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

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Total Doctoral Graduates ProfileDoctoral Graduates

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

African 229 242 298 341 331 405 383

Coloured 50 51 50 68 57 71 55

Indian 72 99 102 83 91 104 96

White 633 659 654 695 618 691 644

Unkown 1 1 1 2 3 3 4

2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

13

Profile of Female Doctoral Graduates

Female Doctoral Graduates

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

African 55 58 80 104 107 133 121

Coloured 19 25 14 26 24 26 30

Indian 28 44 42 39 45 35 44

White 278 281 284 355 298 335 323

Unkown 0 1 0 0 1 1 3

2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

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Steering Enrolment and Output - 2008Level Total number of

NRF bursariesTotal number of registrations

Proportion of students supported by NRF

Honours 1 271 66 917 2%

Masters 2 657 41 711 6%

Doctoral 1 500 9 994 15%

All levels 5 428 118 622 5%

The Department of Higher Education and Training steers using institutional enrolment and output planning, funding and quality assurance while Department of Science and Technology steers at the level of the individual student or research staff.

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Doctoral Graduates in some “Desired” Disciplines

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

Hu

nd

red

s

Agriculture 62 42 51 54 60 46

Computer science 14 12 9 12 17 29

Engineering 75 81 79 105 86 83

Health 126 123 175 110 131 118

Life & Physical sciences 212 206 211 206 232 250

Mathematical sciences 22 26 28 28 46 34

SET Total 512 490 553 515 572 560

National Total 1,045 1,104 1,189 1,100 1,274 1,171

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

Total research masters graduates increased by an annual average of 3.9% from 2728 to 3699 from 2000 to 2008

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Rate of Doctoral Outputs

-

5

10

15

20

25T

ho

usan

ds

Nu

mb

er

of

Ph

D g

rad

uate

s p

er

an

nu

m

Early 90's 2,556 410 2,984 8,390 10,758 823 22,462

Early 2000's 23,446 1,964 7,946 15,260 16,909 1,274 23,138

% Change 817% 379% 166% 82% 57% 55% 3%

China TaiwanSouth Korea

UK JapanSouth Africa

Germany

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Low Supervision Capacity% Staff with PhD

The carrying capacity of the HE system is low because there are too few instruction/supervisory staff with PhD degrees.

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Other degrees

Masters degrees

Doctoral degrees

Other degrees 39 38 39 39 39 38 35 35 33

Masters degrees 29 29 30 31 32 32 32 32 33

Doctoral degrees 32 33 31 30 29 30 33 33 34

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

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Age of Researchers and Research Productivity

44.5 43.439.0

35.7

25.3

-

5.010.0

15.020.0

25.0

30.035.0

40.045.0

50.0

Humanities Social Sciences Health Sciences Natural &AgriculturalSciences

EngineeringSciences, Materials

and Technology

Mea

n a

ge

/ yea

rs

The average age of SA’s graduating with a PhD is about 40 years. The impact of this is that it usually takes them longer to complete and their productive time is shorter.

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Women Academics

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Professors 13.00% 18.00% 18.50% 19.10% 26.00%

Senior Lecturers 28.00% 38.00% 39.50% 40.60% 42.30%

Lecturers 46.00% 53.00% 51.00% 50.90% 51.70%

Junior Lecturers 53.00% 55.00% 56.30% 54.70% 54.00%

1995 2002 2005 2006 2008

Women constitute over 40% of research workforce but only contribute 22% of total research outputs

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SA’s Research Productivity

Low absolute outputs but efficient - generates more outputs per dollar when comparing GDP in terms of purchasing price parity .

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Critical Issues for Attention

• Encouraging the new generation of researchers, i.e., support more postgraduate students and post doctoral fellows.

• Developing the emerging researchers. i.e., transform more new generation researchers into established researchers.

• Maximising the output of the established researchers, i.e., increase the number of active researchers and ensure that they produce the required knowledge and innovation outputs and supervise the next generation of researchers.

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South African Research Chairs Initiative (SARChI)

• The aim is to: • Expand the scientific research base of SA in

support of the National R&D Strategy and other governmental strategies;

• Increase number of world class researchers;• Attract and retain excellence;• Create research career pathways for highly skilled,

high quality young & mid-career researchers - address historical racial, gender and age imbalances

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SARChi• To date 82 Chairs awarded but 79 currently

operational at 16 Universities• Funding and Financing

• Award of up to R2.5 million per annum for Tier 1 and R1,5 million for Tier 2

• Covers salaries, postdoctoral student awards, research operating costs and small equipment

• Large equipment funded separately;• Co-funding options with industry and other

Government departments (First Rand – Mathematics Education)

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SARChI: Institutional Distribution 2007 2008 2009

Chairs recruited from South African universities

28 82% 50 72% 58 73%

Chairs recruited from industry and abroad

6 18% 19 28% 21 27%

Total Chairs 34 100% 69 100% 79 100%

Tier 1 Chairs 25 74% 53 77% 63 80%

Tier 2 Chairs 9 26% 16 23% 16 20%

34 100% 69 100% 79 100%

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SARChI: Equity Profile 2007 2008 2009

Female 3 9% 13 19% 16 20%

Male 31 91% 56 81% 63 80%

Total Chairs 34 100% 69 100% 79 100%

Black 11 32% 27 39% 30 38%

White 23 68% 42 61% 49 62%

34 100% 69 100% 79 100%

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SARChI: Knowledge Distribution

16

16

5

9

36

Natural & Agriculturalsciences

Health sciences

Social sciences

Humanities

Engineering & appliedtechnology

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SARChI: HCD supervision

Average Ratio 1:13

  2007 2008 2009

Undergraduate 13 2% 12 1% 14 2%

Honours 84 13% 151 13% 119 13%

Masters 264 41% 466 40% 344 38%

Doctoral 219 34% 442 38% 310 34%

Post-Doctoral 64 10% 93 8% 124 14%

Total 644 100% 1164 100% 911 100%

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SARChI: Research Outputs  2007 2008 2009

Postgraduate students 62 169 438

Peer review journal articles 162 385 477

Books 4 11 10

Book chapters 13 58 62

Keynote addresses or plenary presentations

3 28 63

Technical reports 4 20 16

Non-refereed articles 0 8 5

Patents 1 17 7

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Centres of Excellence (CoE)• Guiding Principles:

– Are physical or virtual centres of research;– Cluster of researchers; – Concentrate existing capacity and resources; – Enable collaboration across disciplines; – Enable collaboration across institutions;– Work on long-term projects; – Conduct locally relevant and internationally

competitive research.

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Centres of Excellence (CoE)

• At inception, the 7 CoEs were funded between R5 – R7 m; only 2 were funded at 50%.

• Funding escalated at 5% per annum;• Period of funding is 10 years, expected to

be self sustaining after this period; • Key Performance Areas: HCD, Research

Outputs, Knowledge Brokerage, Service Rendering and Networking.

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Established CoEs1. Biomedical TB Research

– to research new tools for the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of tuberculosis (TB)

2. Birds as Keys to Biodiversity Conservation– to focus on understanding and maintaining

biodiversity using birds as indicators3. Invasion Biology

– to address the biodiversity consequences of biological invasions

4. Tree Health Biotechnology – to concentrate on understanding and

combating diseases affecting South Africa’s indigenous trees

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Established CoEs5. Catalysis

– to drive innovation in catalysis, a key process in the chemical and manufacturing sector

6. Strong Materials – to understand and improve the properties of advanced

strong materials to increase their efficiency and reduce their cost

7. Epidemiological Modeling and Analysis – to use mathematical modeling to understand, predict

and ultimately combat diseases8. Climate and Earth Systems Science (To be launched

in 2010)– to better understand climate forecasting and

interactions between the atmosphere, land and oceans

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CoE: HCD Supervision

Level 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

Hons 25 9% 11 4% 19 5% 51 10% 33 9%

Masters 134 47% 131 44% 172 50% 217 43% 170 46%

PhD 92 32% 125 42% 125 36% 173 34% 119 32%

Post Doc 33 12% 33 11% 30 9% 66 13% 49 13%

Total 284 100% 300 100% 346 100% 507 100% 371 100%

34

CoE: Research Output

 Output 2007 2008 2009

Masters and Doctoral students 60 65 84

Peer review journal articles 295 315 409

Number of joint ventures 27 36 60

Patents 15 0 6

35

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