Academy of Science of South Africa
The World Academy of Sciences - Regional Office for Sub-Saharan Africa (TWAS-ROSSA)Not a member yet
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Surveillance and Response to Infectious Diseases and Comorbidities: An African and German Perspective
Get PDFCite: Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf), (2019). Surveillance and Response to Infectious Diseases and Comorbidities: An African and German Perspective [Available online] DOI http://dx.doi.org/10.17159/assaf.2019/0042The conference explored various topics pertaining to Infectious Diseases and Comorbidities. These included: antimicrobial resistance; one health; HIV; TB; Malaria; and HCV. The objectives of the symposium were to scientifically analyse challenges pertaining to infectious diseases and comorbidities as they relate to surveillance, responses and diagnostics; identify current and future research needs that can be employed to tacle emrging scientific challenges; Assess possible solutions to current challenges as they relate to surveillance and response to infectious diseases and morbidities and how these can be used to provide science advice to governments; and, exchange scientific information between young and senior scientists from the sub-Saharan Africa and Germany.Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf
Protection of Intellectual Property for Grassroots Innovation
Get PDFPlease cite as: Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf) and Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) (2019) Protection of Intellectual Property for Grassroots Innovation. Available at: https://doi.org/10.17159/assaf.2019/0053The seminar was hosted on 21 May 2019, at Protea Hotel Fire & Ice, Menlyn, Pretoria by the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf) in partnership with the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI). The seminar was centred around the Grassroots Innovation Programme (GIP), which is designed to identify and support innovators and inventors who do not have a formal education or access to formal innovation facilities. The GIP intents to provide grassroots innovators with technical skills development, access to technical expertise and intellectual property (IP) protection, among other things.
The seminar set-out to provide a platform to raise awareness on policies that govern IP for grassroots innovation and to further discuss the importance of IPR, reinforcing national policy dialogues and processes around the interface between Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) and grassroots innovation, both in South Africa and Globally, with particular interest on India. The seminar also showcased two innovators who shared their journeys, highlighting opportunities and challenges they experienced.
One of the take-home messages was that supporting grassroots innovation is complex and it requires partnership with government and it’s agencies, private sector, academia, NGO’s and innovators themselves. The 2019 White Paper on Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) requires a system which is responsive, inclusive and supports all forms of innovation, including effective grassroots innovation programme for the country.Department of Science and Innovation (DSI), South Afric
Stakeholders Awareness Workshop on the 2019 White Paper on Science, Technology and Innovation (STI)
Get PDFPlease cite as: Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf) and Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) (2019) Stakeholders Awareness Workshop on the 2019 White Paper on Science, Technology and Innovation (STI). Available at: https://doi.org/10.17159/assaf.2019/0055This was the 2nd of three Innovation for Inclusive Development (IID) seminars held on 02 July 2019, at Future Africa Conference Centre, University of Pretoria, Gauteng by the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf) in partnership with the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI).
The workshop provided an opportunity for stakeholders to reflect on the policy intents of the 2019 White Paper on Science, Technology and Innovation (STI). The White Paper sets a long-term policy direction for the South African Government to ensure the growing role for the STI, which is aligned to developmental challenges of the country. The paper is based on the extensive review of the National System of Innovation (NSI) and focuses on using STI to accelerate inclusive economic growth and to assist South Africa to benefit from global development such as rapid technological advancements, geo-political and demographic shifts. The new White Paper seeks to ensure that South Africa benefits from the potential of STI to advance the objectives of the National Development Plan (NDP) by instilling a culture of valuing STI, expansion and transformation of research systems, institutional landscape and human resource base of the STI, increased funding and funding efficiencies etc.
The outcomes of the workshop will feed into the DSI’s Decadal Plan to direct the implementation plan for the 2019 White Paper on STI. Further engagements will be conducted with stakeholders in preparation for the drafting of the Decadal Plan.Department of Science and Innovation (DSI), South Afric
African Open Science Platform Part 1: Landscape Study
No full textThis report maps the African landscape of Open Science – with a focus on Open Data as a sub-set of Open Science. Data to inform the landscape study were collected through a variety of methods, including surveys, desk research, engagement with a community of practice, networking with stakeholders, participation in conferences, case study presentations, and workshops hosted. Although the majority of African countries (35 of 54) demonstrates commitment to science through its investment in research and development (R&D), academies of science, ministries of science and technology, policies, recognition of research, and participation in the Science Granting Councils Initiative (SGCI), the following countries demonstrate the highest commitment and political willingness to invest in science: Botswana, Ethiopia, Kenya, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, and Uganda. In addition to existing policies in Science, Technology and Innovation (STI), the following countries have made progress towards Open Data policies: Botswana, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, South Africa and Uganda. Only two African countries (Kenya and South Africa) at this stage contribute 0.8% of its GDP (Gross Domestic Product) to R&D (Research and Development), which is the closest to the AU’s (African Union’s) suggested 1%. Countries such as Lesotho and Madagascar ranked as 0%, while the R&D expenditure for 24 African countries is unknown. In addition to this, science globally has become fully dependent on stable ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) infrastructure, which includes connectivity/bandwidth, high performance computing facilities and data services. This is especially applicable since countries globally are finding themselves in the midst of the 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR), which is not only “about” data, but which “is” data. According to an article by Alan Marcus (2015) (Senior Director, Head of Information Technology and Telecommunications Industries, World Economic Forum),
“At its core, data represents a post-industrial opportunity. Its uses have unprecedented complexity, velocity and global reach. As digital communications become ubiquitous, data will rule in a world where nearly everyone and everything is connected in real time. That will require a highly reliable, secure and available infrastructure at its core, and innovation at the edge.”
Every industry is affected as part of this revolution – also science. An important component of the digital transformation is “trust” – people must be able to trust that governments and all other industries (including the science sector), adequately handle and protect their data. This requires accountability on a global level, and digital industries must embrace the change and go for a higher standard of protection. “This will reassure consumers and citizens, benefitting the whole digital economy”, says Marcus.
A stable and secure information and communication technologies (ICT) infrastructure – currently provided by the National Research and Education Networks (NRENs) – is key to advance collaboration in science. The AfricaConnect project (AfricaConnect (2012–2014) and AfricaConnect 2 (2016–2018)) through establishing connectivity between National Research and Education Networks (NRENs), is planning to roll out AfricaConnect 3 by the end of 2019. The concern however is that selected African governments (with the exception of a few countries such as South Africa, Mozambique, Ethiopia and others) have low awareness of the impact the Internet has today on all societal levels, how much ICT (and the 4th Industrial Revolution) have affected research, and the added value an NREN can bring to higher education and research in addressing the respective needs, which is far more complex than simply providing connectivity. Apart from more commitment and investment in R&D, African governments – to become and remain part of the 4th Industrial Revolution – have no option other than to acknowledge and commit to the role NRENs play in advancing science towards addressing the SDG (Sustainable Development Goals).
For successful collaboration and direction, it is fundamental that policies within one country are aligned with one another. Alignment on continental level is crucial for the future Pan-African African Open Science Platform to be successful. Both the HIPSSA ((Harmonization of ICT Policies in Sub-Saharan Africa) project and WATRA (the West Africa Telecommunications Regulators Assembly), have made progress towards the regulation of the telecom sector, and in particular of bottlenecks which curb the development of competition among ISPs. A study under HIPSSA identified potential bottlenecks in access at an affordable price to the international capacity of submarine cables and suggested means and tools used by regulators to remedy them. Work on the recommended measures and making them operational continues in collaboration with WATRA.
In addition to sufficient bandwidth and connectivity, high-performance computing facilities and services in support of data sharing are also required. The South African National Integrated Cyberinfrastructure System (NICIS) has made great progress in planning and setting up a cyberinfrastructure ecosystem in support of collaborative science and data sharing. The regional Southern African Development Community (SADC) Cyber-infrastructure Framework provides a valuable roadmap towards high-speed Internet, developing human capacity and skills in ICT technologies, high-performance computing and more. The following countries have been identified as having high-performance computing facilities, some as a result of the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) partnership: Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique, Mauritius, Namibia, South Africa, Tunisia, and Zambia. More and more NRENs – especially the Level 6 NRENs (Algeria, Egypt, Kenya, South Africa, and recently Zambia) – are exploring offering additional services; also in support of data sharing and transfer. The following NRENs already allow for running data-intensive applications and sharing of high-end computing assets, bio-modelling and computation on high-performance/supercomputers: KENET (Kenya), TENET (South Africa), RENU (Uganda), ZAMREN (Zambia), EUN (Egypt) and ARN (Algeria).
Fifteen higher education training institutions from eight African countries (Botswana, Benin, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Sudan, and Tanzania) have been identified as offering formal courses on data science. In addition to formal degrees, a number of international short courses have been developed and free international online courses are also available as an option to build capacity and integrate as part of curricula. The small number of higher education or research intensive institutions offering data science is however insufficient, and there is a desperate need for more training in data science. The CODATA-RDA Schools of Research Data Science aim at addressing the continental need for foundational data skills across all disciplines, along with training conducted by The Carpentries programme (specifically Data Carpentry 10). Thus far, CODATA-RDA schools in collaboration with AOSP, integrating content from Data Carpentry, were presented in Rwanda (in 2018), and during 17-29 June 2019, in Ethiopia.
Awareness regarding Open Science (including Open Data) is evident through the 12 Open Science-related Open Access/Open Data/Open Science declarations and agreements endorsed or signed by African governments; 200 Open Access journals from Africa registered on the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ); 174 Open Access institutional research repositories registered on openDOAR (Directory of Open Access Repositories); 33 Open Access/Open Science policies registered on ROARMAP (Registry of Open Access Repository Mandates and Policies); 24 data repositories registered with the Registry of Data Repositories (re3data.org) (although the pilot project identified 66 research data repositories); and one data repository assigned the CoreTrustSeal. Although this is a start, far more needs to be done to align African data curation and research practices with global standards.
Funding to conduct research remains a challenge. African researchers mostly fund their own research, and there are little incentives for them to make their research and accompanying data sets openly accessible. Funding and peer recognition, along with an enabling research environment conducive for research, are regarded as major incentives.
The landscape report concludes with a number of concerns towards sharing research data openly, as well as challenges in terms of Open Data policy, ICT infrastructure supportive of data sharing, capacity building, lack of skills, and the need for incentives. Although great progress has been made in terms of Open Science and Open Data practices, more awareness needs to be created and further advocacy efforts are required for buy-in from African governments. A federated African Open Science Platform (AOSP) will not only encourage more collaboration among researchers in addressing the SDGs, but it will also benefit the many stakeholders identified as part of the pilot phase.
The time is now, for governments in Africa, to acknowledge the important role of science in general, but specifically Open Science and Open Data, through developing and aligning the relevant policies, investing in an ICT infrastructure conducive for data sharing through committing funding to making NRENs financially sustainable, incentivising open research practices by scientists, and creating opportunities for more scientists and stakeholders across all disciplines to be trained in data management.Department of Science & Innovation (DSI); National Research Foundation (NRF
Report on Grouped Peer Review of Scholarly Journals in Communication and Information Sciences
No full textCite: Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf), (2019).
Report on Grouped Peer Review of Scholarly Journals in Communication and Information Sciences
[Available online] DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.17159/assaf.2019/0041The peer review report entitled Report on Grouped Peer Review of Scholarly Journals in Communication and Information Sciences is the ninth in a series of discipline-grouped evaluations of South African scholarly journals. This is part of a scholarly assurance process initiated by the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf). The process is centered on multi-perspective, discipline-based evaluation panels appointed by the Academy Council on the recommendation of the Academy’s Committee on Scholarly Publishing in South Africa (CSPiSA). This detailed report presents the peer review panel’s consolidated consensus reports on each journal and provides the panel’s recommendations in respect of DHET accreditation, inclusion on the SciELO SA platform and suggestions for improvement in general. The main purpose of the ASSAf review process for journals is to improve the scholarly publication in the country that is consonant with traditional scholarly practices.Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf
Policy Direction, Eradication of Hunger and Achievement of Food Security Conference Proceedings
No full text104 pagesAfrica has the highest levels of population growth in the world, making it necessary to plan for the right food in line with the population dynamics. Meeting the food needs of the growing human population with the planet’s limited resources is a major challenge of our time. This requires the sustainable use of natural resources in the context of Africa’s low agricultural productivity, changing consumption patterns and diets, gender biases, competing interests of different stakeholders for land, and the impact of climate change.
Science and evidence-based research are vital to ensuring that the right policies are in place to provide an environment conducive to achieving food and nutrition security in Africa. Young scientists should be playing a significant role in influencing policy development and providing the science-based advice to national governments. This role has not been fully harnessed
3rd South African Young Academy of Science (SAYAS) Science and Society Symposium - Science and (Un)Certainty: Exploring Science, Knowledge Production, Communication and Uptake in a Post-Truth World
Get PDF75 pagesThis report is the summary of the meeting proceedings of the 3rd South African Young Academy of Science (SAYAS) Science and Society Symposium which took place from 8 – 9 March 2018 at the Nelson Mandela University (NMU), Port Elizabeth, South Africa
Quest Volume 14 Number 3 2018
No full textCite: Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf), (2018). Quest: Science for South Africa, 14(3). [Online] Available at: http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11911/103The science of everything Reinhard Hiller explains how our understanding of DNA and the human genome can improve medical care - Precision medicine – Moving away from one-size-fits-all Stefan Kohler discusses how precision health principles apply to various areas of healthcare - Getting personal about Psychiatry: Pharmacogenetics in Africa: we all react differently to different medicines. Emma Frickel, Ellen Ovenden, Celia van der Merwe, Louise Warnich and Nathaniel W Mcgregor explain why - Basics for precision medicine – From DNA to doctor, Jorge da Rocha and Mahtaab Hayat explain how understanding DNA is vital to precision medicine features - Science clubs: The missing link in our science education and communication efforts - Precision medicine for Africa: challenges and opportunities, Michèle Ramsay explains the basics of precision medicine -News - Bridging the digital divide with photonoics - Scientists peep deep into a diamond crystal to get information about the nature of its defects - First tetrapods of Africa lived within the Devonian Antarctic Circle - In the gaping mouth of ancient crocodiles - Cranium of a four-million-yearold hominin shows similarities to that of modern humans.Department of Science and Technology (DST
Human Genetics and Genomics in South Africa: Ethical, Legal and Social Implications
No full textPlease cite as: Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf) and Department of Science and Technology (DST) (2018) Human Genetics and Genomics in South Africa: Ethical, Legal and Social Implications. Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.17159/assaf.2018/0033This study aims to address the ethical, legal and social implications (ELSI) of genetics and genomics work, as it relates to research, health service provision and forensic applications (medical and legal) in South Africa. The study was undertaken by a 13-member panel appointed by the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf).
The deliberations in this report are centred on the broad philosophical approach of Ubuntu, a philosophical notion that refers to the essence or quality of being human. The report describes the benefits to be derived from genetic and genomics work, the need for boundaries to be clearly defined and adherence monitored to ensure that benefits are shared by all and that no harm is done. The report is divided into three thematic areas: Building Relationships, Respect for Persons and Good Stewardship. Each section is followed by recommendations which are ethically and legally sound, culturally appropriate, feasible, enforceable and sustainable, given the resources within the country, and balanced against competing national priorities.Department of Science and Technology (DST), South Afric