Science and Technology Minister Derek Hanekom reassured the Deans of the Faculties of Sciences of South Africa’s universities on Friday about funding for human capital development (HCD) – including postgraduate student support – and investment in research infrastructure over the next couple of years. He was addressing the National Science Deans Forum in Kempton Park, east of Johannesburg.

“In November last year, I announced the allocation of R798-million for HCD initiatives, and approved the transfer of these funds to the National Research Foundation [NRF] for HCD in the 2012/13 Medium-Term Expenditure Framework [MTEF],” he pointed out. “Also, over the 2013/14 MTEF period an additional investment of R400-million in the 2015/16 financial year has been made by the National Treasury towards postgraduate student support. The bulk of these funds will be given to the NRF for distribution for student bursaries and researcher grant funding.”

He noted that the ‘DST [Department of Science and Technology] Strategy for Human Capital Development for Research Innovation and Scholarship’ had been gazetted for public comment. This is intended to boost the size of South Africa’s active research community, improve skills and results and increase the country’s international competitiveness in science and innovation. In turn, this is intended to promote  socioeconomic development.

In addition, at the start of the year, Hanekom authorised the ‘Ministerial guidelines for improving equity in the distribution of DST/NRF bursaries and fellowships’. “These guidelines are grounded on the three fundamental principles of representivity, improved efficiencies and prioritisation of science, engineering and technology disciplines.”

Concerning research infrastructure, the DST was granted an additional R605-million for the term of the 2013/14 MTEF. This will be used to fund what the DST Infrastructure Framework designates as “priority investments”. Part of this money will go to the country’s universities to help fund the National Equipment Programme.  

“Regarding research and innovation infrastructure provision to Higher Education Institutions [HEIs], an agreement has been reached with the DHET [Department of Higher Education and Training] that the DHET and the HEIs will be responsible for ensuring the provision of basic research training equipment in universities, whereas DST will fund specialised and expensive research equipment,” reported Hanekom. “Also, DHET and HEIs will be responsible for institutional Information Communication Technology  connectivity costs and the DST for the provision of the national backbone.”