The Science Forum South Africa is an annual gathering that promotes dialogues about the role of science in society and its impact on the planet. The 2023 forum’s theme is ‘People, Priorities, and Partnerships for the Decadal Plan,’ focusing on partnerships and collaboration within the government, private sector, scientific and academic fraternities, and civil society. The forum serves as a conduit for civil society contributions, promoting active participation and conversation, and highlights South African scientific prowess and innovation capabilities. It aims to effect change and make a difference to the lives of others, embodying the transformative potential of science.
A Confluence of Minds: What is the Science Forum South Africa?
The Science Forum South Africa is an annual gathering that aims to fuel dialogues concerning the place of science in our society and the influence it can exert on our planet. It serves as a conduit for civil society contributions, promoting active participation and conversation, and also highlights South African scientific prowess and innovation capabilities. The 2023 forum’s theme is ‘People, Priorities, and Partnerships for the Decadal Plan,’ with a focus on partnerships and collaboration within the government, private sector, scientific and academic fraternities, and civil society.
As dawn painted the sky over the bustling metropolis of Tshwane, the CSIR International Convention Centre hummed with anticipation for the Science Forum South Africa 2023. This year’s forum was a notable eighth gathering and the first physical gathering since the COVID-19 pandemic. The convention’s ambition was, once more, to fuel dialogues concerning the place of science in our society and the influence it can exert on our planet.
Prof Blade Nzimande, the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, characterized the forum not as a stage for “passive absorption, but rather activist participation”. This was a clarion call for all attendees to be advocates for science, mirroring the spirit of the 2023 event.
A Conduit for Collaboration
The central goals of the forum, established in 2015, are just as pertinent today. These include fostering mutual policy learning through discussions on current science policy challenges. It serves as a conduit for civil society contributions, promoting active participation and conversation.
Furthermore, the Science Forum exhibition aims to highlight South African scientific prowess and innovation capabilities to both international and domestic partners, thereby acting as a window to the nation’s progress in the field.
The most crucial goal, arguably, is to nurture partnerships, rekindling past associations, reinforcing ongoing ones, and seeking new alliances. As noted by Nzimande, the success of the forum wouldn’t be judged solely by the quality of debates and exhibitions but also by the dynamism of networking beyond the formal agenda.
Synergy for the Decadal Plan: People, Priorities, and Partnerships
The theme for the 2023 forum is ‘People, Priorities, and Partnerships for the Decadal Plan.’ This action plan, a ten-year blueprint for science, technology, and innovation, received approval from the South African Cabinet at the close of 2022. The Decadal Plan’s focus is to ensure that South Africa’s investment in science, technology, and innovation contributes significantly to socio-economic progression, addressing poverty, inequality, and unemployment.
Simultaneously, the plan strives to foster the South African science and innovation ecosystem, guaranteeing its continuous evolution and transformation to better cater to South Africa’s needs. The success of the Decadal Plan relies on partnerships; the ability to collaborate within the government, across distinct departments and ministries, and beyond the strict boundaries of disciplines.
A Coalescence of Visions for Science
The forum aspires to strengthen collaboration between the government, the private sector, the scientific and academic fraternities, and civil society. This integrated approach is a fundamental element of the Decadal Plan, commencing with the first Presidential Plenary Meeting on Science, Technology, and Innovation, chaired by South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa at the same venue on December 12, 2023.
The forum offers a chance to contemplate how to best leverage people, priorities, and partnerships for the Decadal Plan’s execution. With an impressive lineup of over sixty individual sessions, the forum will cover a vast array of subjects, from advocating diverse career paths for doctoral and post-doctoral researchers to examining the effect of technological disruption on democracy.
The Decadal Plan also emphasizes the need for international cooperation, with sessions focused on economic and science diplomacy, the Pan-African science agenda, and the role of the African Diaspora in the African science agenda. Consequently, the forum acts as a catalyst for nurturing a national consensus on the importance of science and innovation for South Africa, accentuated by sessions on science communication and science journalism.
An Affirmation of Change
In summary, the Science Forum South Africa 2023 emerges as a crucial catalyst for engagement, education, and communication in the domain of science. It symbolizes a pledge to effect change, encapsulated in a quote referred to by Prof Nzimande from South Africa’s first democratic President, Nelson Mandela: “What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead.”
The forum’s triumph will thus not be gauged by mere organization and participation, but by the impact its outcomes and actions have on the lives of others. It stands as a testament to the potency of collective action, the quest for knowledge, and the transformative potential of science.
1. What is the Science Forum South Africa?
The Science Forum South Africa is an annual gathering that aims to fuel dialogues concerning the place of science in our society and the influence it can exert on our planet. It serves as a conduit for civil society contributions, promoting active participation and conversation, and also highlights South African scientific prowess and innovation capabilities.
2. What is the theme for the 2023 Science Forum South Africa?
The theme for the 2023 Science Forum South Africa is ‘People, Priorities, and Partnerships for the Decadal Plan.’ This action plan, a ten-year blueprint for science, technology, and innovation, received approval from the South African Cabinet at the close of 2022.
3. What are the central goals of the Science Forum South Africa?
The central goals of the Science Forum South Africa are to foster mutual policy learning through discussions on current science policy challenges, serve as a conduit for civil society contributions, and nurture partnerships.
4. What is the Decadal Plan?
The Decadal Plan is a ten-year blueprint for science, technology, and innovation that received approval from the South African Cabinet at the close of 2022. The Decadal Plan’s focus is to ensure that South Africa’s investment in science, technology, and innovation contributes significantly to socio-economic progression, addressing poverty, inequality, and unemployment.
5. What is the importance of partnerships in the Decadal Plan?
Partnerships are essential to the success of the Decadal Plan, with a focus on collaboration within the government, across distinct departments and ministries, and beyond the strict boundaries of disciplines.
6. What is the significance of the Science Forum South Africa 2023?
The Science Forum South Africa 2023 symbolizes a pledge to effect change and make a difference in the lives of others, encapsulated in a quote referred to by Prof Nzimande from South Africa’s first democratic President, Nelson Mandela. It stands as a testament to the potency of collective action, the quest for knowledge, and the transformative potential of science.
