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The establishment of the partnership between the African Academy of Sciences (AAS) and the CSIR acts as a catalyst to strengthen existing networks between African and European counterparts. As partners in this project, the AAS and CSIR aim to take the co-operation between African and European academics to a higher level. Both partners will also use their institutional relays to improve the impact of the partnership through monitoring, evaluation and dissemination activities.
The AAS was founded on 6 July 1985 in Trieste, Italy, as an autonomous, Africa-wide professional, non-political and non-profit making organisation. It has a current membership of 135 scientists in Africa, selected purely on their individual merit.
The Academy has developed strong core programmes in four principal areas:
- Mobilisation and strengthening of the African scientific community
- Academy Science Publishers (ASP)
- Research, development and public policy
- Capacity building in science and technology
In addition, the Academy carries out sensitisation missions; organises meetings, symposia and workshops, and collaborates in projects with other organisations with similar objectives.
Visit the AAS web site for more information.
The CSIR is the largest scientific and technological research, development and implementation organisation in Africa and has been in operation for more than 50 years. The CSIR's mandate is as stipulated in the Scientific Research Council Act; "The objectives of the CSIR are, through directed and multi-disciplinary research and technological innovation, to foster, in the national interest and in fields which in its opinion should receive preference, industrial and scientific development, either by itself or in co-operation with principals from the private or public sectors, and thereby to contribute to the improvement of the quality of life of the people of the Republic." CSIR reports to an independent board which in turn reports to the South African Department of Science and Technology.
CSIR is structured around five operating units (Built Environment, Biosciences, Defence, Peace Safety and Security, Natural Resources and the Environment, Materials Science and Manufacturing) and four National Research Centres. CSIR has worked in the FPs since FP4 and is currently the most successful South African research organisation in FP6. Up to the end of the end of FP6 it was a partner in more than 30 projects.
Visit the CSIR web site for more information.
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