The South African and the Japanese sides held the 5th Joint Committee Meeting on Science and Technology Cooperation on 11 Dec 2015 in Pretoria. Both sides reported on the current activities of the cooperation and also reflected on the activities which will define the future of this collaboration.
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08-09 Dec 2015 @ CSIR International Convention Centre, Pretoria
Science Forum: South Africa
History was made in Pretoria today when the Science Forum South Africa kicked off at the CSIR International Convention Centre with a view to stimulate debate about the role of science in addressing societal challenges. Under the theme, Igniting conversations about Science, the two-day conference had over 1500 registered participants from 45 countries exchanging ideas on the interface between science, technology and innovation in building a better society. South Africa is widely expected to utilise the conference as a vehicle to strengthen its strategic international science, technology and innovation partnerships. Amongst other international dignitaries, Japan was represented by the Chairman of the STS Forum, Mr Koji Omi
Opening address by Minister Naledi Pandor, Minister of Science and Technology
keynote message by Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, Chairperson of the African Union Commission
Special address by Mr Koji Omi, Founder and Chairperson of the Science and Technology in Society Forum
Session Chair by Dr Phil Mjwara, Department of Science and Technology, South Africa
JST hosted session "Preparing for Careers that Do Not Exist Yet"
Moderated by Mr Satoru Ohtake, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Japan
Dr Daisuke Mizoguchi, JSPS, Nairobi Research Station
Dr Romilla Maharaj, National Research Foundation (NRF), South Africa
Prof Masafumi Nagao, United Nations University
Prof Romain Murenzi, The World Academy of Sciences, Italy
Panellists
Closing Remarks by Dr Yasuo Kishimoto, MEXT
Mr Omi, Chairman of the STS Forum got the SFSA SCIENCE DIPLOMACY AND EXHIBITION AWARDS
Hitachi launched the “Hitachi-DST Scholarship Programme for South African Engineers” in 2009 together with the Department of Science & Technology, with the aim of supporting to nurture young South African engineers. The Programme provides participants with an opportunity to learn basic Japanese culture at the HIDA (the Overseas Human Resources and Industry Development Association), and have technical training at Hitachi’s sites. After their return, they will apply what they have learnt in Japan, contributing to improvement in the country’s social infrastructure. In 2015, the theme of the Programme was changed to water treatment after six years of the focus on power generation and distribution. With the change of the theme, the number of trainees has been increased to five from three for about two months. Three municipalities – Umgeni, Ethekwini and Cape Town – are set to benefit from the partnership that the Department of Science and Technology (DST) has with Hitachi. Five young engineers from these municipalities were chosen to travel to Japan under the DST-Hitachi Scholarship Programme. This year the following SA engineers will have competed the training programme.
Nagoya University and Durban University of Technology has just started a new joint research and development project "Production of Biofuels Using Algal Biomass" under SATREPS (Science and Technology Research Partnership for Sustainable Development) by JICA and JST. SA's researchers visited Nagoya University, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology and Hitachi.
Science and Technology Minister Mrs Pandor attended to the Science and Technology in Society (STS) Forum from 03 to 06 October in Kyoto
Minister Pandor delivered at the closing session titled "How do we move forward to maintain sustainability for the future of humankind" on 06 October. She suggested 3 key action points that will assist to maintaining sustainability for the future of humankind. "1. Africa must close the research gab on the African continent. 2. African governments must take the lead in strengthening its STI through co-owned and co-determined partnership with the rest of the world and 3. Africa needs to invest in a robust human capital development programme that will attract major research projects into the African continent."
Mr Omi, Founder and Chairman of STS Forum
Mr Shimomura, Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Art, Science and Technology of Japan
Mr Chiheb Bouden, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research of Tunisia
Dr Yukiya Amano, Director General of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
Dr John P Holdren, Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy of USA
with SA delegates
with SA Young Future Leaders invited by STS Forum and Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST)
Special presentation by Prof Shuji Yamanaka, 2014 Nobel laureate in physics
Special event at Nijyo-jyo castle
She also participated in the 12th Science and Technology Ministers' Roundtable Meeting hosted by Japanese State Minister for Science and Technology Policy, Mr Yamaguchi. Science and Technology Ministers from all over the world discussed on "Strategies for Inclusive Innovation: The Role of International Cooperation in Science, Technology and Innovation (STI)".
South Africa － Japan Symposium: How can South Africa and Japan create platforms for collaboration with regards Hydrogen Economy?
Japanese and South Africans exchanged ideas and opinions on the symposium on 25 August 2015 in Tokyo. Science and Technology Minister, Mrs Pandor said there was a global movement towards developing sustainable energy systems and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. "For this reason, the use of hydrogen as an energy carrier, combined with fuel cell technology, has attracted considerable interest from governments, international bodies and commercial companies worldwide," said Minister Pandor. read more...
Roundtable on South Africa - Japan University Collaboration
Mr Ohtake, JST
Mr Ohama, JST
Prof Nagao, SA Ambassador: Dialogue, UNU
Prof Okumura, Hokkaido University
Dr Murata, Doshisha University
Dr Yasui, Meikai University
Prof Ishizumi, Kanagawa University
Prof Ueki, Tohoku University
Dr Tokai, Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology
Ms Benton, University of Tsukuba
Prof Gima, University of Tsukuba
Prof Aketagawa, Nagaoka University of Technology
Dr Nagayama, Sokendai
Dr Chiteme, DST
Ms Modise, DST
Ms Mabuza, Embassy
Science and Technology Minister, Mrs Pandor highlighted the human capital initiatives of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), namely the South African Research Chairs Initiative (SARChI) and the South African Postdoctoral Fellowships Initiative.
South Africa has a shortage of skills, while Japan has an abundance of skills; this creates opportunities for collaboration between the two countries. The both countries also recognise the importance of science, technology and innovation for economic growth, as well as the need to address challenges such as health and food and energy security, especially in the wake of global challenges such as climate change. The countries also value the relevance and the role of science and technology in making an impact on society.
The Embassy has attracted Japanese students who are planning to study abroad. For Japanese, popular countries to study abroad are the US, UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. South Africa is also an English-speaking country with providing high-level university courses. In fact, participated Japanese, who had not known South Africa, has decided to go to South African universities for their degrees since our first exhibit in 2012.
In addition to the exhibition this year, the Minister Counsellor: Science and Technology, Ms Mabuza had a seminar "Study in South Africa" for Japanese who are planning to study abroad.
The Embassy co-hosted the Roundtable on Building Education and Research Capacity in Africa: How to Support Young Researchers for Sustainable Development
The Embassy jointly with the National Research Council (NRF), the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), and the Institute for the Advanced Studies of Sustainability at United Nations University held a high level roundtable on 26 May 2015, as side-event to the annual meeting of the Global Research Council (GRC).
The focus of the Roundtable was on Building Education and Research Capacity in Africa: How to Support Young Researchers for Sustainable Development, attended by heads of science councils (HORCs), emerging researchers from a number of countries, and universities.
An open and informal platform were created for exchanging views on issues of critical concern to the GRC (taking place 27-28 May, co-hosted by the NRF and JSPS, with more than 60 HORCs), complementary to the closed and formal nature of the GRC Annual Meeting. An additional objective of the Roundtable was to assist young researchers in extending their network to the funding community, and vice versa.
Formal contributions included presentations from Dr Gansen Pillay (DCEO, NRF), Dr Aldo Stroebel (ED IRC, NRF), Dr Eino Mvula (CEO, NCRST-Namibia), Mr Cecil Masoka (Director, DST-SA) and Dr Julia Tagüeña Parga (DDG Scientific Development, CONACYT-Mexico).
The conceptualization of the session, including a report of the review of the SA-Japan bilateral relations, was led by Prof Masafumi Nagao, Visiting Professor and Programme Advisor, and Dr Emmanuel Mutisya, Assistant Professor in the Graduate Programme in Sustainability Science, United National University.
Two South African entrepreneurs, Mr Ginsberg and Mr Russell, visited Japan to attend the Hack Osaka 2015 where they met and interacted with Japanese innovative entrepreneurs.
