Sir David KingChief Scientific Adviser to UK Government

UK and South Africa:

Working in Partnership

Cape Town18 May 2005

World Science Citations

Country % share of world

publications

% share of world

citations

Rank order

USA 34.9 49.4 1

EU15 37.1 39.3

UK 9.4 11.4 2

JAPAN 9.3 8.4 4

CANADA 4.6 5.3 6

CHINA 3.2 1.6 18

INDIA 2.1 0.9 21

BRAZIL 1.2 0.7 22

SOUTH AFRICA

0.5 0.3 25

IRAN 0.13 0.06 26

0.000

0.100

0.200

0.300

0.400

0.500

0.600

0.700

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40GDP/person ($000s PPP)

Cit

atio

ns/

GD

P (

$000

s P

PP

)

SWI

ISR SWE

FIN DEN

NLUK

CAN

BELAUS

USAGER

IT

JAP

SPA

SIN

TAIKOR

POL

CHI

RUS

Main source: ISI / OECD/World Bank

IND SAF

IRL

IRABRA

GRE

AUT

FRA

POR

LUX @ 62

Comparing economic and scientific wealth

Total Citation Share

Clinical medicine

Preclinical medicine and health

Biology

Environment

Mathematics

Physical sciences

Engineering

UK GERMANY JAPAN FRANCE CANADA ITALY RUSSIA

National strengths in different disciplines (1997-2001)

Share of total citations

Clinical medicine

Preclinical medicine and health

Biology

Environmental

Mathematics

Physical sciences

Engineering

USA EU15 UK

Comparing disciplinary strengths for US, EU 15 and UK

0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1

1.2

1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002

Rati

o E

U t

o U

SA

Publications Citations

Comparing EU15 with the US

Citations per unit GDP

Publications per researcher

Citations per researcher

Citations per unit HERD

Per cent GDP spent on highereducation R&D

Per cent GDP spent on publiclyfunded R&D

UK CANADA USA FRANCE ITALY GERMANY JAPAN

INPUTS OUTPUTS/OUTCOMES

Comparing inputs and outputs/ outcomes

Variation in Life Expectancy Around the World

Fertility Rates:

Number of Children per Woman

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

Japan

Spain

Poland

Canad

aUK

France

Ger

man

y

China

Russia

South

Kor

ea

North

Kor

eaIn

dia

Brazil

Venez

uela

South

Afr

ica

Ken

yaZair

e

Liber

ia

1981

2001

Source: Population et societes, INED

Africa’s need for skilled people…..

Source: WHO, 2004

Africa’s share of world’s health workforce

Sustainable Development• Each generation should leave at least as

large a productive base for its successor as it inherited from its predecessor

Productive Base:

Manufactured capital Social worth of

Human capital these assets =

Natural/Environmental capital wealth of a nation + Institutions, cultural coordinates

Source: Partha Dasgupta

Knowledge transfer and capacity building activity will make significant contributions to:

Human capital• Education provision skills development

• Population growth containment

Infrastructure Development• Clean water, hospitals, schools, police,

government facilities, transport on a trans-regional basis

Cultural Development• Attitudes to wealth creation

• Encouraging entrepreneurial spirit

Holistic approach

• Coordinate international programmes• Governmental and regional decision making

in partnership• Need to go beyond basic education – building

up capabilities in primary, secondary and higher education

• Well-developed approach to science, technology, engineering and medicine

• Using centres of excellence to raise standards throughout the system

Commission for Africa Report

• A new kind of partnership – based on mutual respect and solidarity.

• Good governance• An additional $25bn a year in aid by

2010.• 100% debt cancellation for poorest

countries.• Untying aid

For capacity building:

International Community should commit in

2005:

• US$ 500 million a year over 10 years to revitalise Africa’s institutions of higher education.

• US$ 3billion over 10 years to develop centres of excellence in S&T.

The Impact of Climate change in Africa

Temperatures in Africa over the past 100 years

G8 and EU challenges• Climate Change and African Development are

the UK priorities for G8 and EU Presidencies in 2005

• Climate change is a global problem and requires a global response– Kyoto, European Emissions trading

• Clear vision of energy futures required to enable global collaboration to move forward

• Science, engineering and technology have key roles to play

Dorothy Hodgkin Postgraduate Awards

• Aims to bring outstanding students from Africa, India, China, Brazil and developing world to study for PhDs in top rate UK universities.

• Emphasis is excellence• 160 scholarships available this year.

More info: www.rcuk.ac.uk/hodgkin/

Dorothy Hodgkin Postgraduate Awards

Africa-UK Networking Opportunities

• Our bilateral links with Africa are important to us.

• Want to encourage collaboration between our best scientists through:South Africa – UK Networking schemeRoyal Society/ NRF joint collaborative

programme

The future…….

• Continue to build links between UK & Africa in science, technology and innovation – between individuals, institutions and government.

• South African leadership in Africa.

• Work together to mitigate and adapt to effects of global warming.