Applying scientific thinkingin the service of society

Annual Performance Plan 2014/2015

Presentation to Science & Technology Portfolio Committee

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ASSAF Mandate

• To honour distinguished scholars in all fields of scientific enquiry

• To generate evidence-based solutions to national and global challenges

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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

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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

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Programmes of the Academy

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Governance and Administration

• Promote good governance- Compliance, audits, financial and human

resource management, efficient execution of Council decisions

• Promote recognition & involvement of Members- Annual awards, AGM, Member elections, ASSAf panels, Member database, scholarly lectures

• Phase in a system of discipline-based Member elections - Improve % poll in Member elections and representivity of membership

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Scholarly Publishing Programme• Promote access to knowledge resources

- Increase number of titles on OA platform (SciELO SA)- Promote access to core commercial databases

• Undertake quality assurance (journals, books etc.)- Establish peer-review evaluation panels- Publish 3 discipline-grouped panel reports- Coordinate activities of National Scholarly Publishers’ Forum & National Scholarly Editors’ Forum

• Enhance scientific writing for scholarly publishing- Enhance quality of scientific writing for emerging

researchers through online writing system

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• Promote scholarly activity through publication of SAJS• Publish 6 issues per annum• Increase content in ‘News and Views’ section• Increase quality of accepted manuscripts• Improve impact factor (2012 ISI impact factor =

0.84)• Optimise distribution of print version and

investigate e-pub version

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Quest

• Quest: Science for South Africa - full- colour, quarterly, popular science magazine• Print-run 25 000 per issue• Aimed at learners (Grades 10-12), educators and

scientific community to increase public awareness of science

• Improve Quest Impact through– Targeted distribution strategy– Greater cooperation with DBE, University

Education Departments, SAASTA, science centres

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Policy Advisory Programme• Undertake evidence-based consensus studies in key national priority areas

• Increased generation of assessment studies in key national priority areas

• Host workshops on topics of national importance

• Conduct commentaries on government policies

• Localisation/domestication of evidence-based reports

• Monitor impact of study reports

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Policy Advisory ProgrammeHealth Studies

- Publication and dissemination of IAMP Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD) Conference Proceedings Report

- Implement consensus study on Education of Health Professionals in SA

- Source funding for a consensus study on Reproductive Health of Adolescents in SA

- Study on Tobacco Control Policy Change in sub-Saharan Africa (IOM & African academies)

- Participate in collaborative study on Root Causes for Low Coverage & Under-Immunisation of African Child (IOM & African academies)

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Policy Advisory Programme Education Studies

- Promote Inquiry-Based Science Education (IBSE) in South

Africa- Implementation of La Main a la Pâte pilot study in

Gauteng

-Implement consensus study on Revitalising Agricultural Education and Training in South Africa

-Initiate consensus study on The Future of the Mathematical Sciences in South Africa

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Policy Advisory Programme

Science for Poverty Alleviation

- Revitalise Standing Committee

- Develop action plan and align with government priorities

Humanities

- Organise an international conference on Humanities

- Engage with key stakeholders to promote Humanities in SA

Biosafety and Biosecurity

- Complete study on State of Biosafety and Biosecurity in SA

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Policy Advisory Programme

Climate Change

- Finalise study on the State of Green Technologies in SA

- Host media workshop to coincide with the launch of IPCC assessment report

Energy Studies

- Finalise study on the State of Energy Research in SA

- Host workshop on renewable energy (Leopoldina)

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Liaison Programme

• Initiate and develop relations with global, African and SADC science Academy networks, national science Academies and other science organisations

- Participate in and play leadership role in global scientific organisations - IAP, GScience , IAC, TWAS, OWSD, STSf & IAMP

- Strengthen links with ICSU and become adhering body

- Partner with Leopoldina ito joint activities- Coordinate participation of SA scientists in global science

activities

• Promote women in science activities- Give effect to OWSD National Chapter through activities that promote women’s participation in science and provide networking opportunities

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Liaison Programme• Promote young scientists’ activities - Promote participation of young scientists in national scientific

activities- Organise and host Annual Young Scientists’ Conference- Identify and nominate young scientists for international activities- Collaborate with and support SAYAS

• Recognise, reward and promote excellence in science- Award 2 Science-for-Society gold medals to distinguished

scientists - Award Sydney Brenner postdoctoral fellowship - Host annual Distinguished Visiting Scholar- Increase number of regions in which scholarly lectures are held

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Communication and Publications

• Marketing Academy

• Production & dissemination of ASSAf Policy Advisory Reports

• Monitoring the impact & uptake of evidence-based reports

• Production & dissemination of SAJS

• Production & dissemination of Quest magazine

• Monitor the usage & impact of Quest magazine in schools and other learning institutions

• Promote science awareness among youth through participating in science events

• Raising science awareness & engagement through cooperation with government, learning institutions, science advancement entities and business

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PROJECTED BUDGET SUMMARY MTEF PERIOD: 2014/15 TO 2016/17

PROJECTED BUDGETSUMMARY

MTEF PERIOD: 2014/15 TO 2016/17

Income

Details 2014/15 2015/16 2016/17

R R

DST: Baseline (parliamentary grant) 21 577 000 22 991 000 23 106 000

DST: Contract funding 2 000 000 550 000 550 000

Agricultural Research Council 900 000 - -

ESASTAP Plus (European Commission) 706 200 - -

Oppenheimer Memorial Trust 220 000 240 000 -

UNESCO 792 000 133 100 -

Income from publications 250 000 500 000 500 000

Interest receivable 400 000 550 000 550 000

Membership fees receivable 82 000 86 000 88 000

Other income - Cohort secretariat 17 500 17 500 17 500

Total projected income 26 944 700 25 067 600 24 811 500

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Expenditures

Details 2014/15 2015/16 2016/17

R R

Administration and governance 4 479 898 4 694 040 4 413 344

Communication 1 507 889 1 589 315 1 673 549

Liaison - national and international 5 354 520 4 197 662 3 995 983

Policy advisory programme 5 721 090 4 092 125 4 284 803

Publications 3 881 302 3 894 458 3 810 820

Scholarly publishing programme 6 000 000 6 600 000 6 633 000

Total projected expenditures 26 944 700 25 067 600 24 811 500

Thank you

Website: www.assaf.org.za

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