CSIR Innovation Leadership and Learning Academy (CILLA): workshop

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE
1 August 2006
CSIR INNOVATION LEADERSHIP AND LEARNING ACADEMY (CILLA): WORKSHOP

Chairperson: Mr E Ngcobo (ANC)

Documents handed out:
CILLA Course Outline

The CSIR Innovation Leadership And Learning Academy (CILLA) workshop, running from 1 to 7 August was aimed at equipping the Committee with additional expertise to meaningfully engage with role players on science, technology and innovation issues and assist in the Committee's oversight of science, technology and innovation institutions and programmes. Special emphasis was given to research and innovation management at government and industry level.

The CSIR delegation comprised Mr Awie Vlok (Manager: Research and Development, CSIR), Prof Andre Buys (course convener Department of Engineering and Technology Management, University of Pretoria), Dr Dave Walwyn (Group Manager Research and Development, CSIR), Prof Joe Amadi-Echendu (Department of Engineering and Technology Management, UP) and Dr Mohammed Jeenah (Research Support and Development, UP).

The course would cover issues related to:
-the impact of technology and innovation on the society and the economy;
-the national research and development system and policy;
-the national system of innovation (as it relates to human resources, funding and performance);
-innovation strategies as well as
-intellectual and indigenous capital, public good and commercialisation.

In voicing their expectations of the course Members said that they hoped that the course would be interactive, would lead to noticeable insights and would also speak to broader economic and societal issues such as the Accelerated Shared Growth Initiative for South Africa (ASGISA), poverty alleviation and how innovation and research could be commercialised so as to create revenue. The course should also make mention of how science and technology impacted on women and youth, how innovation could be engendered and how its macro-economic impact could be maximised.

Prof Buys pointed out that the course would not make a substantial contribution towards the course work covered in a post-graduate diploma or degree programme partly because it was difficult to develop an entry level course, which could accommodate participants from diverse areas of expertise. The Chairperson reminded the presenters that the Committee had requested the course to be structured in such a way that members would be able to proceed to the next level of study if they wished to. Prof Buys would investigate the matter to determine whether this would be possible.