Academy of Science South Africa 2005/6 Annual Report

ASSAfProgramme 3Image: Quest – Science for South AfricaWorking towards astronger national Academyspecific budget. Many of the policies and norms needed for this purpose did not yet exist in the operationsof the Academy, and the process had the invaluable spin-off of promoting the institution or adoptionof well-considered policies, either de novo or as adaptations of policy frameworks used by our financeoperations and human resources contractor, the National Research Foundation (NRF). Some of the envisagedactivities were novel in the experience of the Academy (for example, setting up a Consensus Panel), andfor this purpose it was very helpful to adopt or adapt USNA policies and practices, modelled in the SouthAfrican reality, and thus specify the numbers of persons who were likely to need travel assistance and otherfinancial resources to assist the Academy in its work (see separate sections below). Much of the Workplannecessarily had to be based on estimates of cost, scope and time likely to be needed for each activity builtinto the Plan. The activities of the Workplan were also described in a Gantt Chart spelling out the milestones,instrumentalities, skills gains and policy developments that it was hoped would ensue from each of them.The first drafts of the “Year One” Workplan, the Gantt Chart and the associated activities-basedbudget were sent to the responsible USNA Program Officer, Dr Barney Cohen and to the responsibleUSNA management accountant, Mr Jim Banihashemi, for comment and suggestions for improvement.Valuable inputs were made, such as the serious questioning of our approach to (domestic) travelbudgeting, and an indication that staff timekeeping in respect of different projects running out ofdifferent cost centres would be an indispensable tool for both budgeting and project-focused financialmanagement in general. The activities-based draft budget was also helpfully converted to a templatebasedversion in USD by Mr Banihashemi. The updated documentation as agreed with the USNA staffwas now circulated to all members of ASSAf with a request to comment both on specifics and on thegeneral programme of work envisaged under the Workplan, Gantt Chart and budget. While valuablesuggestions were received, the main benefit was to familiarise ASSAf members with the new partnershipand its implications for them in terms of enhanced opportunities of serving the Academy in the waysoutlined in the Workplan. Finally, the ASSAf Council considered and approved the pre-final drafts of thethree documents at its subsequent formal meeting in April 2006.34 Promoting Excellence in Science for Society