Academy of Science South Africa 2005/6 Annual Report

Multi-year Strategic PlanASSAfCommunicating up-to-dateSouth African scientific research to the publicDesigning and implementing a programme of communication about the Academy that will reachand positively affect every major stakeholder in the knowledge-producing sector at higher educationinstitutions, science councils and in industry, in government at the level of individual departmentsand in Parliament, and amongst the public at large through effective media releases and articles (see(F) below).Discussing with relevant partners how a symbiotic relationship with the two pre-existing quasiacademiescan be designed and implemented without impairing the general reality and acceptance ofASSAf’s statutory and international status as the country’s single national science academy.Maintaining the South African Journal of Science as the country’s premier multi-disciplinary researchjournal, but aggressively extending its functions into the electronic domain in order to ensure thewidest possible dissemination and use of its contents.Building Quest – Science for South Africa to become the most widely distributed and read general sciencemagazine in the country, a crucial asset for public sector promotion of science education, literacy andcareer commitment, and sustainably maintained by its constituency of users and stakeholders.Increasing ASSAf’s productive involvement in NASAC and linking these to the activities of NEPADagencies and of ICSU.Seeking diversified funds to build an endowment for the academy and funding for its activities outsidegovernment grants-in-aid (see (G) below).Agreeing on an optimal number of Academy members to enhance the visibility and competitiveness ofthe annual election cycle, and building the membership of the Academy to include more eminent andactive representatives of disciplines currently in short supply – notably the agricultural, engineering,earth and educational sciences.Increasing the involvement of ASSAf members in the activities of the Academy by regular informativenewsletters, inclusion in various task forces and sub-committees, and meticulous records of theirachievements and interests in the annual ASSAf General Register.Annual Report 2005/0681