CPUT is a trailblazer in research and innovation, so who better to call on for help when developing a new framework for innovation in South Africa.

Deputy-Vice Chancellor: Research, Technology Innovation and Partnerships, Dr Chris Nhlapo, has been appointed to a national task team that will pen a new framework for innovation in South Africa.

The task team, comprising key role-players in the South African higher education sector, was handpicked by the National Advisory Council on Innovation (NACI).

This body was created to advise the South African Minister of Science and Technology on the role and contribution that innovation plays in addressing economic, social, scientific and technology challenges.

Dr Nhlapo says their first task will be to “unpack the concept of innovation.”

According to NACI, innovation consists of three phases. The first is a conception of a new idea, while the second is the conversion of this idea into a product, service or process. The final phase is commercialisation or the successful uptake by users

However, Dr Nhlapo says that innovation is unfortunately often misunderstood, with many people limiting its scope to science and technology. He says innovation cuts across all disciplines, from science and technology right up to business.

“Innovation is not only for monetary gains. There is also social innovation, which benefits the community,” he says.

Dr Nhlapo says the task team will focus their attention on developing a national innovation framework that encompasses all disciplines.

During the next few months, they will also survey the South African innovation terrain between 1994 and 2011 and explore existing successful frameworks.

By: Candes Keating

Written by CPUT News
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Recently Prof Vuyisa Mazwi-Tanga, Vice Chancellor of CPUT, was appointed by the Minister of Science and Technology as a member of the National Advisory Council on Innovation (NACI) to serve from 01 March 2008 to 28 February 2009. She has also been asked to serve as a member of Council of the Artscape from 30 July 2008 to 30 July 2011.

The NACI comprises 22 Councilors, and represents a range of sectors and organisations that are involved in the South African National System of Innovation ( NSI ). The Council is assisted by three national specialised advisory committees, namely Science, Engineering and Technology for Women (SET4W), the National Biotechnology Advisory Committee (NBAC) and the Indicators Reference Group (IRG). It is further supported by a secretariat based in the Department of Science and Technology in Pretoria.

Having been in existence for 11 years, the NACI was by national legislation with the aim of advising the Minister of Science and Technology of South Africa and achieving national objectives of contributing to the development of mathematics, science, innovation and technology (including indigenous technologies).

In an extract from a letter from the Minister of Science and Technology, Mosibudi Mangena, Prof Mazwi-Tanga was described as being “confident that (her) in-depth knowledge, extensive research and prominent leadership position…will contribute significantly to further promote the NACI’s role as key advisory body.”

The NACI Council on which the VC will serve, meets four times per annum and consists of a chairperson appointed by the Minister; a Chief Executive Officer in the person of the Director-General of DST; an officer of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) who is appointed by the Minister of Trade and Industry and about 20 additional members appointed (by the Minister) after consultation with the his Committee, and after submission to the Cabinet for notification.

In addition, the chairperson of NACI has direct access to the Minister and members of the committee to submit and discuss any report of NACI, any minutes of a meeting of NACI, or any other matter relating to the functioning of NACI.

The members of NACI, other than the CEO and the officer from DTI, are appointed in their personal capacity due to their outstanding achievement in any field of Science and Technology, or in the context of innovation, special knowledge, experience and insight into the role and contribution of innovation, in promoting and achieving national and provincial objectives.

Prof Mazwi-Tanga was asked to serve as a member of the Council of the Artscape by National Minister of Arts and Culture, Mr Pallo Jordan.

Having been described as the ‘one-stop-shop of Creative Excellence’, the Artscape theatre in Cape Town was officially launched on 27 March 1999 to replace CAPAB. The Department of Arts and Culture is tasked to create an environment conducive to the growth, development and flowering of South Africa ’s arts, culture and heritage landscape and through the Artscape theatre.

Among its key objectives, which Prof Mazwi-Tanga was mandated to address as a member of the council, are the improvement, re-orientation and expansion of the arts and culture sector to serve South Africa ’s cultural needs.

By Thando Moiloa, Marketing and Communication Department

Photograph: CPUT Vice-Chancellor Vuyisa Mazwi-Tanga

Written by CPUT News
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