Unisa online - Rebuilding SA through innovation, science and technology

Welcoming the guests Prof Mandla Makhanya, Principal and Vice-Chancellor, said that the Founders Lecture was an initiative of Prof Nyameko Barney Pityana, the retired Unisa Vice-Chancellor. He added that the aim of the lecture was to encourage the university to focus on critical issues in higher education and in so doing, “promote African scholarship, and contribute to critical debate, not only among Unisa’s academics, but also among Africa’s intelligentsia”. Makhanya added that the lecture titled ‘The role of innovation for sustained economic growth in the 21st century: Is this what South Africa needs in the next decade?’, was the continuation of a 2003 inaugural lecture and that “this evening’s lecture will undoubtedly add to the multiplicity of voices and diversity in thought and, in so doing, it will contribute in a very meaningful way to the level and quality of intellectual engagement – more especially in our institution”.

Dr Mjwara delivers his paper

The guest speaker, Dr Phil Mjwara, Director General, Department of Science and Technology, delivered a scintillating lecture titled ‘Role of Innovation (and science and technology) in the Post Conflict Period’. In his talk he contrasted three of the most successful world economies that rose from a war ravaged past to become examples of leading economies (Germany, Japan and South Korea). His paper explored the role and contribution of science, technology and innovation to socio-economic development during the post-conflict apartheid era. He said, “The intention is to understand and identify lessons for South Africa, in part because all these three countries went through major social conflicts and used innovation as a key element of their reconstruction and development programme.” He also proposed a few ideas on the role that higher education institutions can play in enabling innovation to become true engine of socioeconomic development.

Mjwara said that the three countries have a similar past in terms of oppression to South Africa, and that they had lessons to be learnt. One of the lessons is that the conflict/war/crisis seemed to have played some catalytic function. “It steered these countries towards a particular direction, willingly or unwillingly,” said Mjwara. He added that the societies of the affected countries were prepared and willing to change the cause of their countries for the better. The second lesson is that, each country had a partner country that was prepared to support it in recovering from the conflict/crisis. Next, “the third lesson is that in Germany, Japan and South Korea the development of science and technology and innovation capability was strongly emphasised and seen as a critical driver for economic growth and competitiveness.” Another lesson was that the cost of labour was initially low and there were attempts to enhance productivity. “The focus was about survival,” said Mjwara.

The Founders lecture was well attended

He then posed several questions aimed at South Africa and other developing economies, such as “What space do they have to innovate and export?”, “What is the nature of support they need to address challenges imposed by post-cold war era?”, and “Is NePAD and the fact that South Africa is seen as a spring board for the rest of the African continent a part of solution?” He said Africa has risen through the ashes of colonialisation and has the largest storehouse of the world’s precious resources. It also holds some unique distinctions. “South Africa is the home of three Nobel Prize laureates (Dr Nelson Mandela, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, FW de Klerk), the site of the first ever heart transplant in 1967 and is the first African nation to host the FIFA World Cup.” He added that South Africa is doing a lot to position itself well but questioned whether it was enough. He said that although the government believes that it has set up enough systems “it is up to the participants within the National System of Innovation to use these conditions so South Africa can become a knowledge-based economy”. He concluded by challenging and encouraging Unisa to rethink its role and contribution towards making innovation become a genuine engine of socio-economic development in South Africa.

In response Prof Mamokgethi Setati, Vice-Principal: Research and Innovation, accepted the challenge from Mjwara. She raised critical issues of her own such as “Why is it that in South Africa we are not as innovative as we should be?”, and “Why is it that when we talk of innovation we emphases it at institutions of higher learning?” She questioned whether these were the only places we should be talking about innovation and said that, instead, it was important to develop it from an early age, “so that by the time students arrive at university they have developed the curiosity to be innovative”. Setati said that it is with this premise that Unisa got involved in community engagement projects such as the Lego Leagues. “Through this project we coach and mentor teams of learners to participate in the First Lego League Robotics Team Competition for children between the ages of 10 and 16,” said Setati. She added that the project also helps Unisa introduce the learners to the five innovation-related concepts, namely: Creation, Acquisition, Adaptation, Dissemination, and Use. She concluded by encouraging and promoting indigenous innovation.