09 October 2013

Applying scientific thinking

in the service of society

Annual Report 2012/2013

Presentation to

Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Science and Technology

Dual 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 & reward of excellence

• Promotion of innovation & scholarly activity

• Promotion of effective, evidence-based

scientific advice

• Promotion of interest in & awareness of

science education

• Promotion of national, regional &

international linkages

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Alignment with Government Goals

• Strengthening skills & resource base

• Regional development, African advancement

& international cooperation

• Improvement of health profile of society

• Improvement of rural development and food

security

• Improvement of environmental assets &

natural resources

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5

Secretariat

Governance

and

Administration

Communication and

Publications

Liaison Activities

Scholarly Publishing

Programme

Policy Advisory

Programme

ASSAf

Programmes

Governance and Administration

• Promote Good Governance

- Compliance, audits, financial & HR management

• Promote Recognition of Members & Participation in

ASSAf Activities

- Annual Awards, AGM, Member Election, ASSAf Panels,

Member Database, Scholarly Lectures

• Pursue Closer Alignment of ASSAf Activities & DST Goals

• Coordinate Discussions on ASSAf Strategic Goals

- Membership - representation through race, gender,

science discipline, innovative Membership models

- Sustainability of ASSAf

- Enhanced role of ASSAf

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Governance & Administration

• COUNCIL

5 Council Meetings – Office Bearers (85%

attendance)

– Non-office Bearers (55%)

New President – Prof Daya Reddy

• MEMBERS

New Members - 27

Total Membership - 394

23% - Women

28% - Black

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Governance & Administration

8

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

110

Total numberof Members

MEMBERSHIP BY DISCIPLINE

Governance & Administration

• STAFF

Full-time Staff – 18

DST/NRF Interns – 2

SAJS – Part-time Editor-in Chief

Quest – Part-time Editor

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Policy Advisory Programme

• Initiate & implement evidence-based projects:

Health, Education, Humanities, Biosafety & Biosecurity, Environment & Energy Studies

• Reconceptualise ASSAf Forum Studies

• Increased generation of Assessment Studies on

national priority areas

• Conduct Commentaries on government policies

• Localisation/domestication of evidence-based

reports

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Policy Advisory Programme

Health Studies

• Consensus Study on Improved Nutritional Assessment

- Completed & to be published in 2013

• Proceedings Report - Future of HIV/AIDS in Africa: A Shared

Responsibility

- Published May 2012

• Education of Health Professionals in SA

- Workshop held in May 2012

- Council approved new Consensus Study

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Policy Advisory Programme

Health Studies

• 2 initiatives with US NAS

- Vaccines

- Tobacco Control in Africa

Biosafety and Biosecurity Studies

• Consensus Study on the State of Biosafety & Biosecurity in

South Africa – commenced October 2012

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Policy Advisory Programme

Energy, Water & Environment Studies

• Technologies for a Low Carbon Society

- Joint Workshop with Leopoldina - Oct 2012

• Science, Water & Sanitation Policymakers’ Booklet

- launched at African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW)

May 2012

• Nuclear Energy Safety Proceedings Report - April 2012

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Policy Advisory Programme

Humanities & Education Studies

- Engaged with key stakeholders in Humanities in SA

- Promoted Inquiry-Based Science Education in South Africa

- Implementation of La Main a la Pâte pilot study in

Gauteng – November 2012

- IBSE: Increasing Participation of Girls in Science in sub-

Saharan Africa – disseminated policymakers’ booklet in

Zambia & Zimbabwe

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Policy Advisory Programme

Science for Poverty Alleviation

- Regulation of Agricultural GM Technology in Africa

Policymakers’ Booklet – published November 2012

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Scholarly Publishing Programme

Open Access Platform - Certified Collection

- Web of Knowledge (WoK) – Jan 2013

- 26 journals available

- 42 % increase in usage

- Berlin Declaration of Open Access signed

National Scholarly Book Publishers’ Forum - Presentation at Scientific, Technical & Medical Publishers’

Conference

- Cape Town Book Fair

Peer Review of South African Scholarly Journals - Religion, Theology and Related Fields completed

- Law and Health Sciences near completion

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Scholarly Publishing Programme

National Scholarly Editors’ Forum

- 6th Annual Meeting - July 2012

- 95 editors attended

Online Scientific Writing Service

- Four-tiered modular system developed

Memorandum of Agreement –ASSAf/DST/DHET

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• Volume 109 (Volume 1: 1905)

• 2011 ISI impact factor = 0.78

• New design and branding (Jan 2013)

• New website (Dec 2012) – 5000 visits to date

• New Editor-in-Chief (Nov 2012) – John Butler-Adam

• New submission site (Sep 2012)

– 125 submissions (±1 per day)

– 24% acceptance

South African

Journal of Science

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Liaison Programme

International Liaison Activities

- ASSAf Member of IAP, G-Science , NASAC, IAC, & IAMP

- Participated in Science for Society Forum of Presidents of

Academies, International Human Rights Network of

Academies and Scholarly Societies

- Elected to IAP Executive – February 2013

- MoU with Indian National Science Academy – March 2013

- Signed G8 Statements on Role of S&T in Global Challenges

May 2012

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Liaison Programme

International Liaison Activities

• Leadership Role in NASAC

- Prof Robin Crewe (Former ASSAf President) NASAC

President

- Questionnaire on State of Women Scientists in Africa

• Annual Meeting of African Science Academies

- November 2012, Nigeria

• AMCOW African Water Week – May 2012

- Hosted Side-Event

- Launched Policymakers’ Booklet – Science, Water &

Sanitation

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Liaison Programme

International Liaison Activities

- 43rd Biennial International Human Rights Network of

Academies & Scholarly Societies – May 2012

- 9th Science and Technology for Society Forum

- October 2012

- InterAcademy Medical Panel (IAMP)

- ASSAf bid to host IAMP GA & Conference

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Liaison Programme

International Liaison Activities

- Royal Pfizer Workshop of UK Royal Society on running

Science Academies in Africa – November 2012

- Leopoldina Symposium on Changing Patterns of Health

Problems in sub-Saharan Africa: Impact of NCDs –

November 2012

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Liaison Programme

National Liaison Activities

- ASSAf Science-for-Society Gold Medals

- Prof Jill Adler

- Prof Kobus Eloff

- AU-TWAS Prize for Young Scientists

- Prof Alta Schutte

- Prof Thokozani Majozi

- ESASTAP Plus – Implemented on request of DST

- 3rd Annual Young Scientists’ Conference on Our Energy

Future – October 2012

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Liaison Programme

National Liaison Activities

- Women Scientist Activities – Report on State of Women

on S&T in Swaziland

- COHORT

- Plenary Meeting – August 2012

- Elected Mr Dhesigen Naidoo (WRC) & Ms Tanya

Abrahamse (SANBI) to Exec

- Distinguished Visiting Scholars – Hosted 4

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Communication & Publications

• Produced & Disseminated Policy Advisory Reports - 5

• Produced & Disseminated SAJS - 6

• Produced & Disseminated Quest - 4

• Outreach Events - 7

• Media Statements - 22

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Quest

• Quest: Science for South Africa - full-colour,

quarterly, popular science magazine,

supported by DST, endorsed by DoE

• Print-run 25 000 per issue

• Aimed at learners, educators, scientific community,

academics, decision-makers and public

• Distributed to Dinaledi & public high schools with science

departments & at national science events

- 100 000 learners reached

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Statement of Financial Position at 31 March 2013

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Statement of Comprehensive Income for the Year ended 31 March 2013

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Thank you

Website: www.assaf.org.za

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