South Africa releases Foresight project results
Results are now available from the South African National research and technology Foresight project, which aimed to identify sector specific technologies and technology trends, which would best improve the quality of life for South Africans over the next 10-20 years. 'By identifying these priorities, the Foresight project will also provide new direction to South Africa's international R&D collaboration, including participation in the European Union's Framework programmes,' says a spokesperson from the South African Mission to the European Union. The project encompassed technologies that impact on social issues and wealth creation through product or process development, bringing together government, industry, science councils, higher education, organised labour, professional organisations and other stakeholders. In particular Foresight sought to: - identify those technologies and latent market opportunities which were most likely to generate benefits for South Africa; - develop consensus on future priorities amongst different stakeholders in a sector; - coordinate the research effort between different players within a sector; - reach agreement on those actions needed to take advantage of existing and future technologies. Technology roadmaps will now be developed as a follow-up to the Foresight project. The priority areas for these will be information and communications technologies, biotechnology and new materials