Industry-academic-government cooperation to boost technological innovation and people development in South Africa

Abstract

Cooperation between industry, academia and government is increasingly viewed to be of key importance for economies to be globally competitive. In a world where research and technology development, and the diffusion and commercial exploitation of their outputs, form an important backbone to economic and social advancement, South Africa is challenged to realign its research, educational and industrial sectors to join hands in developing an appropriately skilled human resource base that will enable South African Industry to compete effectively in the world. As an integral part of the paper, emphasis is placed on the unique challenges facing the "New South Africa" in terms of developing an innovative technological human resources base, within the framework of the Government of National Unity's Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP). Special attention is given to capacity building among the disadvantaged through corrective actions, and the promotion of technology within the small, micro and medium enterprise (SMME) sector. Furthermore, the paper provides an overview of the vision for a National System of Innovation (NSI) in South Africa in its role to boost technological innovation within an increasingly competitive global economy. Knowing that close cooperation between the business, Government and Educational sectors is key to the development of a vibrant and competitive workforce, hence a competitive economy, the paper also contains a perspective on the status of cooperative research in the natural sciences, engineering and technology (SET) in the development of leading and forefront expertise. The two existing national technological innovation programmes are described, viz. The Support Programme for Industrial Innovation (SPII) and the Technology and Human Resources for Industry Programme (THRIP). Special attention is given to the latter programme, being a Joint Venture initiative between all key stakeholders in technology promotion in South Africa and managed for the Joint Venture by the Foundation for Research Development (FRO) together with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). THRIP is critically reviewed and its expanded vision contextualised wt thin the NSI. Some factors and mechanisms are discussed to increase the gross national investment in research development, by both the public and private sectors. Such an effort should contribute to advancing market focus on the research and technology supply side, as well as promoting the involvement, ownership and long term vision of the market for technology and human resources in research.