Ass Af Conference Presentation 02 July 2008.Doc

Research Dissemination and Research Broker Conference Presentation to: HSRC conference with the Institute for Development Studies, UK Delivered by: Dr. Xola Mati, Chief Operations Officer, ASSAf Date: 02 July 2008

Contents
About ASSAf
ASSAf Activities
ASSAf’s response to the paradigm shifts within Scholarly Communication:
SAJS: Flagship National Journal
QUEST: Science for South Africa Magazine
Scholarly Publishing Programme

ASSAf aspires to be the apex organisation for science scholarship in South Africa
Internationally respected and connected
Its Membership , the aspiration of the country’s most active scholars in all fields of scientific enquiry
Collective resource, making possible the professionally managed generation of evidence-based solutions to national problems
ASSAf aspires to be an engine of excellence in scholarship and intellectual cooperation About ASSAf

ASSAf Activities are Structured into Four Programmes PROGRAMME 4 National and Regional Activities PROGRAMME 3 International Academy Relations PROGRAMME 2 Strategic Aspects of Publishing in S&T in SA PROGRAMME 1 Administration and Governance ASSAf

Programme 4: Selected ASSAf Studies
Generation of Evidence-Based Advice
(Panels and Committees/ Fora):
* Report on HIV/AIDS, TB and Nutrition : follow-up phase
Chair: Prof Barry Mendelow
* Standing Committee on Science for Poverty Alleviation ongoing
Chair: Prof Eugene Cloete
* Consensus Study on Clinical Research in SA: ongoing
Chair: Prof Bongani Mayosi
* National capacity in the Humanities/Social Sciences: just started
Interim Chair: Prof Peter Vale
* Biosecurity: to be started soon
* Science Education enhancement: just started
Joint Chairs: Profs Diane Grayson & Jonathan Jansen
* Postgraduate Studies in SA, and the development of human
capital in S&T: just started commissioned by NRF, CHE, DoE and DST
Chair: Prof Jonathan Jansen

PROGRAMME 2: Strategic Aspects of Publishing in S&T in SA
To publish science-focused periodicals to promote a national interest in the sciences:
1. South African Journal of Science – multidisciplinary journal of the highest quality and international standing
2. Quest: Science for South Africa – science magazine
that showcases the best of South African research to a wide national and international audience
3. Strategic Reports – policy advisory reports that seek to influence national decision- and policy-making

ASSAf’s response to the paradigm shifts
within Scholarly Communication:
South African Journal of Science
Ranked 23 rd in world rankings ISI-indexed multidisciplinary journals
New editorial model of Editor-in-Chief and Associate Editors
Available electronically on Open Access System introduced
Vision – to be the flagship national journal in scholarly publishing programme

ASSAf’s response to the paradigm shifts
within Scholarly Communication:
Quest: Science for South Africa Magazine
Quarterly, youth-oriented science magazine, well-established on editing and production side
Partnerships with DST, DoE, SAASTA, science centres, etc. being set up
Use and impact research in teacher training programmes initiated
Open Access System under investigation
Growing subscription and retail bases

Scholarly (Journals) Publishing: Implementation of 10
Recommendations in 2006 ASSAf’s Scholarly Publishing Report
Follow-up study of scholarly publishing (books) nearly completed
National Scholarly Editors’ Forum established
Adoption of a national code of best practice for editorial discretion and peer review (in progress)
Mandate given for grouped peer review of SA scholarly journals by ASSAf Panels
Investigation of an online course system for scientific writing
Task team set up to examine possible national platform for open access publishing in SA
Partnerships in place to cover data curation and open access issues

Access ASSAf’s website at: www.assaf.org.za THANK YOU! © Academy of Science of South Africa – information may be freely quoted, provided full acknowledgement to ASSAf is given.

Ass Af Conference Presentation 02 July 2008.Doc

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Ass Af Conference Presentation 02 July 2008.Doc Presentation Transcript