The South Africa Agency for Science and Technology Advancement (SAASTA) is a business unit of the National Research Foundation (NRF) with the mandate to advance public awareness, appreciation and engagement of science, engineering, innovation and technology in South Africa.

Science, through research, has a crucial role to play in the growth of South Africa’s economy. Active dialogue and engagement between science and society ensures that scientific research findings are easily translated into relevant, appropriate and beneficial   innovation and entrepreneurial opportunities. Research findings should also have an impact on policy and social conditions in a country. This can only be achieved when science becomes a daily dialogue and discourse.

The fundamental principles of SAASTA’s success in advancing a culture of engagement with science in South Africa lies in its synergistic approach. SAASTA initiatives fall under three key strategic areas:

  • Science Education, through which we build up the supply of tomorrow’s scientists and innovators;
  • Science Awareness, through which we engage the public with the phenomena of science, engineering and technology,
  • Science Communication, through which we share science and technology achievements with the public, building up their appreciation of benefits of science).

The three areas are interdependent, each enhancing the effectiveness of the other, while accommodating different target audiences and creating opportunities for joint initiatives across several government departments, higher education institutions, science councils, science centres and other science agencies.

Science advancement is integrated in every level of the business of the NRF. SAASTA, the National Research Facilities (that focus on the fields of astronomy, biodiversity and conservation, and nuclear sciences) and the Research, Innovation Support and Advancement office (that supports research, researchers and the provision of world-class research infrastructure through a grant-making programme) are implementing a cross-cutting science engagement plan.

 Mission

To enable and facilitate the contribution of knowledge and scientific research to national development.

Vision

The National Research Foundation’s (NRF) strategic vision is that knowledge and research are at the epicentre of national development. It is about a knowledge and research enterprise whose products and effects bring about the advancement of the frontiers of knowledge, improve the quality of life for the people of our country, improve competitiveness of strategic sectors and industries of our economy, provide for better protection and preservation of our national natural heritage, and lead to elevation of the technological base of our country. All of these in order to bring about a better society through research.

Values

The NRF’s shared values reflect the organisation’s core ethics and principles. They are lived values that inspire employees and articulate the NRF’s aspirations regarding workplace behaviour and institutional culture. The NRF’s values reflect its long-term vision and the critical success factors of the knowledge enterprise being transformation, impact, excellence and sustainability. These values are elaborated on below:

People-centred
People are our greatest asset and are thus treasured and nurtured. We invest in current and future researchers to create a transformed, excellent and sustainable research enterprise with impact. We invest in our employees to create a transformed, empowering, inclusive and diverse working environment, and to advance health and wellness in the work environment.

Ethics and Integrity

Integrity forms the basis of our business principles. As an organisation, and individually, we act with honesty and probity. We are consistent, fair and transparent in our actions and decisions.

Accountability

We are accountable for the way in which we utilise public resources in pursuit of national development. We make commitments and are prepared to be judged against them. We are responsible for our actions.

Passion for Excellence

We recognise our obligation to society and to the research enterprise to deliver the highest standards in all areas of our mandate and to seek out and support excellence.

World-class Service

We are concerned about our stakeholders, their needs and their perceptions. We aspire to and are committed to provide exceptional service at all levels.

Respect

We recognise the inherent worth of every human being, embrace diversity, and treat everybody we encounter with dignity and respect. We respect the environment and all living creatures, and promote sustainable development.