Promoting EU-SA research relations
South Africa's industrial and scientific potential coupled with its socioeconomic challenges make it a particularly attractive destination for cooperation with the EU. A few years ago, the ESASTAP project promoted EU-South Africa collaboration in science and technology (S&T). The EU-funded project ESASTAP2 (Strengthening the European-South African science and technology advancement programme) aimed to improve the participation of South Africa's smaller companies and universities of technology in European research programmes. ESASTAP2 focused on collaboration in health, environment, energy, social science and humanities, as well as food, agriculture, fisheries and biotechnology. The first ESASTAP project successfully helped match project partners. ESASTAP2 worked with South Africa's Department of Science and Technology (DST) office in Brussels to identify further opportunities for the country's researchers. Several workshops were conducted with other African countries that have active agreements with South Africa, including Algeria, Egypt, Kenya, Lesotho and Uganda. These workshops are raising awareness of the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) in Africa to encourage more African partners to participate in FP7 projects. Through DST and the European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) office, ESASTAP2 funded South African and EU researchers in short-term scientific exchanges. On another front, a 2009 small business workshop organised together with the Swedish Ministry of Industry, Employment and Communications and the European Commission helped identify other pivotal areas of collaboration. Lastly, ESASTAP2 created an online portal to improve South African access to FP7 project funding. This is linked to the European EURAXESS portal. The project impact will ultimately be assessed by the growth of South African S&T initiatives, and the spread of FP7 funding in Africa.
Keywords
South Africa, cooperation, science and technology, research programmes, scientific exchanges
