Engineering: issues, challenges and opportunities for development ...

AN OVERVIEW OF ENGINEERINGOverall, the transformation of the New Zealand RS&T systemhas had positive outcomes. It increased the transparencyof government investment by creating an arms-lengthrelationship between funders and providers of RS&T. Thismade the decision-making process more objective, reducedthe influence of personal relationships on funding decisionsand improved the efficiency of RS&T investment. By2003 the New Zealand system was, by some measures, themost efficient in the OECD – producing the most papersper US$1 million basic research expenditure and the secondhighest number of papers per US$1 million of total researchexpenditure.There is little doubt that scientists and their administratorshave been challenged by the changes, and the system will continueto evolve as multi-organizational, multi-faceted longerterm funding takes root and genuine productive relationshipsbetween research agencies, including universities, develop. Thesystem is accountable and transparent with genuine decentralizationand operational authority. Research managers are freeto manage flexibly and to set their own commercial targets,and recent government announcements increasing investmentin research will reinforce the significance of research toNew Zealand’s prosperity.For further reading:Atkinson, J. D. 1976. DSIR’s First Fifty Years, DSIR Information Series115, Wellington, DSIR.Boston, J., Martin, J., Pallot, J., Walsh, P. 1996. Public Management: TheNew Zealand Model. Auckland, Oxford University Press.MoRST. 2006. Research and Development in New Zealand – a Decadein Review. Available at: http://www.morst.govt.nz/publications/a-z/r/decade-in-review/report/ (Accessed: 14 May 2010).Palmer, C. M. 1994. The Reform of the Public Science System in NewZealand, Ministry of Research Science & Technology, Wellington,New Zealand.Figure 1: Engineering output (1990–2004)250020001500100050001990-1992 1993-1995 1996-1998 1999-2000 2002-2004articleshydrogen economy, space sciences, the Pebble Bed nuclearreactor and other major projects. The strategy documentacknowledges that ‘scientists, engineers and technologistsremain in short supply in most sectors’ and continues, ‘the limitedsupply of scientists, engineers and technologists has alsobeen identified as one of the constraints to the attainmentof the goals of AsgiSA and is the focus of the Joint Initiativefor Priority Skills Acquisition (JIPSA).’ The DST has developedtwo strategies in this regard, the Youth into Science Strategy,and the Science, Engineering and Technology Human CapitalDevelopment Strategy for the development of a knowledgeeconomy (DST, 2007).The imperative to increase the supply of engineers shouldalso be understood within the broader transformationalframework of South African science. Since the transition toa democracy in 1994, this has become one of the key goals inthe transformation of the national system of innovation, in atleast three major ways:articles équivalents4.5.4.2 South AfricaJohann Mouton and Nelius Boshoff1.To broaden the base of participation in science, engineeringand technology by under-represented groups such asAfrican and female scientists.BackgroundThe National Research and Development Strategy (2002) 52identifies one of the priorities for the country as the developmentof a healthy and diverse flux of ‘young people seekingand finding careers in science and engineering.’ The nationalDepartment of Science and Technology’s (DST) most recentStrategic Plan (2007) 53 reiterates the importance of producingmore engineers as an essential contribution to various flagshipprogrammes of the country including: an initiative around the52 Department of Science and Technology. 2002. National R&D Strategy. Pretoria, SouthAfrica.53 Department of Science and Technology. 2007. Corporate Strategy 2007/2008. Pretoria,South Africa.2. To ensure that knowledge production in these fields iscommensurate with national socio-economic goals (suchas improving the quality of life of all South Africans, toalleviate poverty, and in general to create wealth for allcitizens).3. To overcome the isolationist effects of Apartheid scienceby increasing international scientific collaboration, whichsuffered as a result of the academic boycotts in the 1970sand 1980s, and increasing the international visibility ofSouth African science.This contribution addresses three issues in engineeringscience:181