The CSIR: Council for Scientific and Scientific and Industrial Research Shaping a better future through research and development Forestry Sector Skills Development Forum Flic Blakeway Forestry Competence Area August 2008

© CSIR In this presentation CSIR mandate and role Organisational objectives - Human capital - Science, engineering and technology (SET) base - Knowledge-generating research and technology transfer Management structure Research and development (R&D) activities Scarce research skills in the FTPP sector Opportunities to improve research skills

© CSIR The CSIR mandate “The objects of the CSIR are, through directed and particularly multidisciplinary research and technological innovation, to foster, in the national interest and in fields which in its opinion should receive preference, industrial and scientific development, either by itself or in co- operation with principals from the private or public sectors, and thereby to contribute to the improvement of the quality of life of the people of the Republic, and to perform any other functions that may be assigned to the CSIR by or under this Act.” (Scientific Research Council Act 46 of 1988, amended by Act 71 of 1990)

© CSIR Track record of S&T excellence CSIR established in October 1945 Engaged in technical innovation and multidisciplinary research in support of national imperatives to serve industrial and socio- economic development Delivers R&D in support of private and public sectors Considerable contribution to national initiatives, strategies and projects Some employees; main campus in Pretoria, plus operations in Johannesburg, Durban, Pietermaritzburg, Port Elizabeth, Stellenbosch and Cape Town Strategic relationships with science peers in the region as well as internationally, and emphasis on links with tertiary education institutions (TEIs) with skills development objectives

The CSIR objectives

© CSIR Organisational priorities Building and transforming human capital Strengthening the science and technology base Performing relevant knowledge- generating research and transferring technology and skilled human capital Contributing to national programme of development and fulfilling mandate Maintaining financial sustainability and good governance }

© CSIR Building and transforming human capital Investing in our people Proportion of Parliamentary Grant devoted to human capital development (HCD) Professional growth through formal career planning and mentorship Encourage staff to improve qualifications - Master’s and Doctoral qualifications 2006/07: 28.4% with highest number in years age bracket (target: 39%) Use CSIR expertise and facilities to assist in mentoring Master’s and Doctoral students Demographics (research base): 36% black, 31% women

© CSIR Strengthening the S&T base Partners Member of Regional Research Alliance and Global Research Alliance, regional focal point for the World Association of Industrial and Technological Research Organizations (WAITRO) Engagement with TEIs aimed at skills development and collaboration S&T outcomes Pursue research-intensive strategy, with emphasis on publication in peer-reviewed literature CSIR publication output 2006/07: 220 International patents 2006/07: 12 Technology demonstrators 2006/07: 49 Advocate open access publishing Leading role in migration to open source software

© CSIR Performing relevant knowledge- generating research and technology transfer Support relevant national strategies, including - Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative - European Union S&T Framework - National Biotechnology Strategy - National Nanotechnology Strategy R&D in support of NEPAD Public and private sector collaboration - Some 50% of contract R&D income supports public sector strategies - Business sector is major performer and financier of R&D – tax incentives could see this increase Patents Technology transfer Technology transfer for social impact

CSIR Management Structure

CSIR Board CSIR President and Chief Executive Officer Group Executive: R&D Group Executive: R&D Outcomes and Human Capital Development Group Executive: Operations Executive Director: Services Chief Financial Officer R&D Information Services R&D Outcomes Human Capital Development Stakeholder Management and Research Alliances Operating Units & Research Centres Knowledge Services Contract R&D Coordination CSIR Shared Services STRATEGY & LEADERSHIP R&D CORE Management structure

CSIR R&D activities

R&D conducted at the CSIR Research, development and innovation chain encompasses what the CSIR terms types A, B and C research - Guided by the Frascati Manual, the basic international source of methodology for collecting and using R&D statistics Type A : Directed basic or applied research that explores underlying nature of systems Type B: Experimental development that typically results in new prototypes, which capture new knowledge into products, services or policies Type C: Technology transfer, the first step of knowledge application Basic research Directed research Develop- ment Impact Tertiary education institutions Science councils Industry

© CSIR R&D conducted at the CSIR (continued) Work undertaken in the following domains: Biosciences The built environment Defence, peace, safety and security Information and communications technology Laser technology Materials science and manufacturing Natural resources and the environment Space technology Specialised analysis and testing facilities New areas of research such as nanotechnology

© CSIR Natural resources and the environment Forestry Pollution and waste Water resources Ecosystems Energy Environmental assessment and management Mineral resources Sustainability science CSIR research in this field seeks to address challenges to sustainable development in South Africa, focusing on the optimal utilisation of natural resources in support of economic growth and human well-being

© CSIR SET leadership Competence management Contract R&D leader Forestry Flic Blakeway Tree Improvement (TI) Dr Steve Verryn Wood Science Dr Tammy Bush Forest Assessment (Dr Tammy Bush/ Fibre Processing Dr Tammy Bush Forestry Competence Area – operates within the Forest Resources Theme Operations & SET management Forestry and Forest Products (FFP)

© CSIR Economic growth of the FTPP sector Impact in first and second economies Increased benefit to small-scale growers Sustainable plantation management Strengthening research alliances and partnerships Development of skills and depth in competence Forestry Resources Theme – impact: generate knowledge for impact build the required capacity and competence research that integrates information across the plantation forestry and processing value chain Social Economic Environmental

© CSIR Engineers with a Research background: Sector lacks people who understand aspects of engineering (such as process / industrial / chemical engineering) with an in-depth knowledge / experience in research methodology Often one but not the other – leading to research that has minimal impact Product Development Engineers: No skills exist (esp. within the pulp and paper industry to do proper Product Development Applied Scientists: Most of the applied scientists that South Africa has (very few of those!) landed in the Forestry sector by chance Many applied scientists are not trained in a Forestry environment as well – thus do not QUICKLY add value in their respective applied fields Scarce research skills in the FTPP sector:

© CSIR Forest Economists and Resource Economists: ALL so-called Forest Economists in South Africa are improvised economists from other aspects of the economy. Forestry, with its longer outlook on investment and opportunities has a different outlook on business management Wood Scientists (MSc & PhD), Pulp and Paper Scientists: There are no South African institutions training these researchers Quantitative Geneticists Contractors/practitioners Forestry workers employed by contractors and growers Professional and technical foresters (i.e., BSc graduates and diplomates respectively) Scarce research skills in the FTPP sector:

© CSIR There is a serious lack of research capacity in research organisations and education institutions - the sector is not attractive to school leavers and graduates - insufficient appropriate graduates being trained by the higher education institutions - negative effect on the level of skills development, training and capacity development required for growth in the sector Success of the BBBEE strategy in the FTPP sector depends on trained people Second economy development can only be meaningful if there are trained people available to do the research that will result in growth of the sector Scarcity of trained researchers:

© CSIR Research institutions and HEIs are constrained by decreasing level of R&D funding in the sector Sector stakeholders agree that the sector (e.g. pulp & paper industry) is not attracting new e.g. chemical science and technology graduates as well as competing industries e.g. petroleum industry. Scarcity of specific process and technical courses (there is a partnership between PAMSA, TAPPSA, Durban University of Technology and UKZN to attempt to address this challenge) Forest staff/student exchange difficulties: - Unnecessarily difficult to effect student/staff exchange - Desired collaboration often does not materialise because of the problems with South African requirements for foreign students to work here on a temporary basis Scarcity of trained researchers:

© CSIR Improve the profile of the sector in schools and HEIs Make the research opportunities exciting and rewarding - have a well-understood sector research strategy Provide bursaries/scholarships Help graduates get jobs in the sector (public and private) Invest in international researcher and student exchange programmes Get rid of some “exchange” bureaucracy Opportunities to increase skills:

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