DST SCIENCE ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY:

FACILITATING THE SCIENCE:SOCIETY INTERFACE

DST/HSRC Research Seminar Series CSIR Conference Centre 10 March 2015

Outline

• • • • • • Science engagement landscape Challenges Strategic objectives and responses Enablers for successful implementation of the Strategy Funding the strategy/framework Way forward

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Science engagement landscape:

Policy context

National Development Plan

o To “promote technological advances, developing countries should invest in education for youth, ... and should ensure that knowledge is shared as widely as possible across society”

White Paper on Science & Technology

o “Development of the NSI requires among others, a society that values and understands science and technology as social tools, and their role in sustainable development”

National Research and Development Strategy

o Expressed the DST’s intention to extensively invest in science promotion towards making science attractive, accessible and relevant

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• • • • •

Science engagement landscape:

Operational context

SAASTA informally playing a coordinating role and largely project management function.

A reliable network exists of cross-sector institutions collaborating with the DST in promoting science engagement (SE), including science centres and other government departments.

DST entities are involved in SE through their outreach or corporate communication.

South Africa is involved in cross-border and international SE activities.

Two science communication chairs have been established under the SARChI, and the scientometric CoE has a SE function.

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Challenges (1/2)

• • • • Scientific literacy is low (e.g., decreasing interest among young; challenges in school science teaching; social levels of scientific ignorance).

Popularisation of SET in South Africa is happening on a small scale leading to a decrease in the percentage of learners following mathematics and physical science at school.

Empowerment of the general public to engage critically with science and technology is limited, yet it has a corollary in the need to empower “science” as a social phenomenon to engage publicly.

While the DST and its entities have been fairly successful in profiling specific successes of South African science – such as in HIV/AIDS, astronomy, and palaeosciences – there is general agreement more can be achieved.

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Challenges (2/2)

• • • Coordination of SE programmes has so far been pursued on an ad hoc basis, with SAASTA playing a related role without a formal mandate and with inadequate resources.

There is no systematic approach to coordination of SE activities across the span of DST entities.

Lack of effective monitoring and evaluation instruments, as well as meaningful indicators to measure outcomes and impact.

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Purpose

• • • • Systematise DST science communication, PUSET, etc.

Ramp up DST (corporate) science communications Raise status of S&T in public and political perception Transcend deficit model philosophy

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Strategic objectives

 To popularise science, engineering, technology and innovation as attractive, relevant and accessible in order to enhance scientific literacy and awaken interest in relevant careers.

 To develop a critical public that actively engages and participates in the national discourse of science and technology to the benefit of society.

 To promote science communication that will enhance science engagement in South Africa.

 To profile South African science and science achievements domestically and internationally, demonstrating their contribution to national development and global science, thereby enhancing its public standing.

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Strategic responses (1)

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To popularise science, engineering, technology and innovation as attractive, relevant and accessible in order to enhance scientific literacy and awaken interest in relevant careers.

– Will seek to create an atmosphere that enables the public to engage with the social consequences (positive or negative) of science and technology.

– Science and mathematics Olympiads and competitions provide school going aspirant scientists an opportunity to communicate science as they have to explain their science projects to the audience. These will be promoted and expanded.

– Provision of information about careers in science is crucial in increasing the number of students who follow science-based careers in activities such as role-modelling campaigns and career booklets

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Strategic responses (2)

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To develop a critical public that actively engages and participates in the national discourse of science and technology to the benefit of society.

– An active attempt by the academic/researcher sector to bridge the gap between universities/science councils and the public (community engagement).

– Increased access to scientific knowledge for the public at local and municipal levels. – A stronger focus on applicability of science (solving practical problems) and co-operation with other societal actors (e.g., formal dialogue across sectoral divides such between the public and the private sector, labour, etc.).

– – Promoting public engagement in research.

Using media as a form of dialogue between science and society.

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Strategic responses (3)



To promote science communication that will enhance science engagement in South Africa.

– – Science communication on media.

Science communication as a professional field.

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To profile South African science and science achievements domestically and internationally, demonstrating their contribution to national development and global science, thereby enhancing its public standing.

o The role of the DST Communications section in coordinating marketing and communications activities across all DST entities will be strengthened and further systematised and formalised.

o South Africa will be profiled as a global leader in strategic domains of science, and as a continental leader in science generally, in order to attract world-leaders in science, thereby initiating a virtuous cycle.

o Multi-lateral platforms will be widely used to profile South African science and scientists.

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Enablers for successful implementation of the strategy

The Strategy lists role-players and their envisaged roles, and indicators of success. Further, it identifies four enablers:  Effective coordinating function – given that the strategic goals are realisable through multi-stakeholder collaboration.

 Institutional and legislative platforms – necessary for the establishment and location of the coordinating function, a role to be assigned to SAASTA through the amendment of the NRF Act.

 Funding – a sustainable funding model is necessary and the current expenditure on science engagement needs to be significantly increased.

 Information management system – for availability of system performance information at all times, including international comparison data .

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Funding the strategy

• • • Budget bids will be made when necessary.

Top-sliced funding will be ring-fenced for science engagement by other sections of the DST, in pursuit of promoting awareness of scientific areas relevant to their mandate.

DST entities dedicating an agreed percentage of their annual budget allocation: – Some of the funds will be earmarked for science engagement within the science councils; – Some of the funds will be placed with SAASTA for purposes of coordination in consultation with DST entities.

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Way forward

An implementation plan is being developed and will include: – Short, medium and long-term targets; – Available resources and what they will deliver; – Necessary resources and targets; – Details on monitoring and evaluation of the strategy.

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