The South African Department of Science and Technology (DST) and the UK Department of Business Innovation and Skills, in conjunction with the National Research Foundation (NRF) and the UK Royal Society, will host a South Africa-United Kingdom (UK) Science and Technology Workshop on 10 and 11 February 2014 in Cape Town, to enhance research collaborations between both countries.
Seventy five scientists, researchers and officials from both countries will participate in the workshop, which will be opened by Dr Albert van Jaarsveld (CEO, National Research Foundation) and Chris Trott (British Consul General, Cape Town). The Workshop will identify shared and specific areas of research interest, relevant for potential future collaborations and explore new and existing funding mechanisms to support this.
The workshop is the first stage of a bilateral R3m (£200,000) Scientific Seminar Scheme which will run until 2015 in both countries. It is being run by the Royal Society and the National Research Foundation. The Scheme was agreed by Science and Technology Minister Derek Hanekom and his UK counterpart, David Willetts, at the 2013 South Africa-UK Bilateral Forum. At that meeting, and during a follow-up visit by Minister Hanekom to the UK in January, both Ministers agreed to deepen our science and technology relationship, and agreed shared priority areas of astronomy and space, climate change, biosciences and health research.
The workshop will present an opportunity for the two countries to identify and make recommendations for the future collaboration between the two countries on science and technology.
Date: 10 February 2014
Venue: Protea Hotel Sea Point, Cape Town
Time: 9h30
Interested media are invited to attend the opening session between 9h30 and 10h15.
Further information on the Scientific Seminar Scheme can be found at:http://royalsociety.org/grants/schemes/south-africa-seminars/
For media confirmation contact:
Zama Mthethwa
Cell: 082 808 3956
E-mail: Zama.Mthethwa@dst.gov.za