National Science Plan Workshop

Development of the National Global Change Science Plan

Dates: 22 and 23 April 2008

Venue: Pure Joy Conference Centre, Tswane (Pretoria)

http://www.sa-venues.com/ga/purejoy.htm

Hosts: The South African Scientific Committee on Global Change and the Department of Science and Technology

Enquiries: Ms Isabel Bezuidenhoudt at

Isabel.Bezuidenhoudt@dst.gov.za

(012 843 6403)

RSVP: By 16 April to Ms Kgaugelo Sithole at

Kgaugelo.Sithole@dst.gov.za

Purpose of the workshop:

At the core of the Implementation Framework for the Global Change Grand Challenge is a comprehensive and ambitious National Global Change Science Plan. The Science Plan will inform research programmes that will be initiated, human capital development efforts, research infrastructure development, as well as inform global research collaboration.

The purpose of this workshop is to develop Version 1 of the National Global Change Science Plan. Consensus should be reached on the criteria and principles that inform what is included in the Science Plan, the structure and form of the Science Plan, long-term (+10 year) Research Focus Areas, the prioritised Research Themes for each Focus Area and the key activities and research questions associated with the first 3 - 5 year period for each of the Research Themes.  

Through open public processes, the broader stakeholder body will then be invited to comment on the document. The Science Plan will be subjected to several rounds of iteration and will include review of the Science Plan by continental and international scientists. The intention is to finalise the Science Plan by the end of July 2008.

Background information:

The DST 10-year Innovation Plan plus the first draft of the Global Change Grand Challenge Implementation Framework provide the background to the need for the development of a National Global Change Science Plan that can guide national research activities and funding over the next 10 years. These documents will be made available to all delegates prior to the workshop.   

Logistics:

Out-of-town delegates are requested to arrive in the evening of the 21st so-as to allow an early start on the 22nd. Group transfers from the airport will be arranged on 21 April by prior arrangement (18:00 pick-up time).

The principle that we would use to inform decisions on travel support is as follows:-

- Government departments pay for themselves

- Government agencies and science councils pay for themselves

- Where people are invited on the basis that they are recipients of a NSI, they should defray expenses against this grant unless this is not possible.

Accommodation will be provided at the venue for the nights of the 21st and 22nd if required. The workshop will end at 15:00 on the 23rd to allow timeous transfer to the airport for departure around 18:00.   

All meals will be catered for and there will be a braai in the evening of the 22nd at the venue for all delegates

Proposed Agenda

The focus of Day 1 will be on information sharing, and that of Day 2 will be used to define Version 1 of the Science Plan, including agreement on the institutional arrangements for managing and monitoring the Science Plan

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Day 1 (22 April 2008): Information Sharing

07:45 Arrival & Coffee/Tea

08:10 Welcome & Introduction (DST)

08:20 Introduction to the Scientific Committee on Global Change (Guy Midgley)

08:30 Overview of the thinking to date (DST)

09:00 The capability survey and results

09:30 Discussion

10:00 BREAK

10:20 Principles, criteria, and boundaries for the Science Plan

11:30 Presentations from representatives (15 minutes each, including 5 minutes for Q&A)

("What you would like to see in the National Global Change Science Plan" )

13:00 LUNCH

13:40 Presentations continue

15:20 BREAK

15:40 Discussion

16:30 END of Day 1

Evening braai in the LAPA

Day 2 (23 April 2008): Way Forward

07:45 Arrival & Coffee/Tea

08:15 Reflection on Day 1

08:30 Programme for Day 2

08:45 - 10:00 Define and agree on long term (+10 year) Research Focus Areas 

10:00 - 10:20 BREAK

10:30 - 11:55 PARALLEL BREAKAWAY SESSIONS (per Focus Area)

(Definition of 3-5 years prioritised research themes and associated activities for each Focus Area)

12:00: Plenary (feedback from each Group plus discussion)

13:00 - 13:40 LUNCH

13:45 - 14:30 Plenary continues

14:30   Way Forward process map and conclusion

15:00 DEPARTURE