The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)

Who are we?

Constituted by an Act of Parliament in 1945, the CSIR is one of the leading scientific and technology research, development and implementation organisations in Africa. The CSIR’s main site is in Pretoria, while it is represented in most of the nine provinces of South Africa through regional offices.

What does the CSIR do?

The organisation undertakes directed and multidisciplinary research, technological innovation as well as industrial and scientific development to improve the quality of life of the country’s people.

The CSIR is committed to supporting innovation in South Africa to improve national competitiveness in the global economy. Science and technology (S&T) services and solutions are provided in support of various stakeholders, and opportunities are identified where new technologies can be further developed and exploited in the private and public sectors for commercial and social benefit.

How do we operate?

The CSIR receives an annual grant from Parliament, through the Department of Science and Technology (DST), which accounts for close to 40% of its total income. The remainder is generated from research contracts with government departments at national, provincial and municipal levels, the private sector and research funding agencies in South Africa and abroad. Additional income is derived from royalties, licences and dividends from an intellectual property (IP) portfolio and commercial companies created by the CSIR.

The parliamentary grant is focused on the knowledge base and facilities in the CSIR to ensure these stay at the leading edge of technological development. It is invested in developing new areas of expertise, undertaking “pre-competitive” research too risky for the private sector to fund and for training young researchers.

Mandate

The CSIR’s mandate is as stipulated in the Scientific Research Council Act (Act 46 of 1988, as amended by Act 71 of 1990), section 3: Objects of the CSIR:

“The objects of the CSIR are, through directed and particularly multi-disciplinary research and technological innovation, to foster, in the national interest and in fields which in its opinion should receive preference, industrial and scientific development, either by itself or in co-operation with principals from the private or public sectors, and thereby to contribute to the improvement of the quality of life of the people of the Republic, and to perform any other functions that may be assigned to the CSIR by or under this Act.”

The CSIR’s shareholder is the South African Parliament, held in proxy by the Minister of Science and Technology.

Supporting national imperatives

South Africa’s national imperatives and global challenges provide the macro0strategic framework within which the CSIR conducts its research. In an effort to contribute to placing our continent on a path of sustainable growth and development, the organisation supports and actively participates in the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD).

In line with its mandate, the CSIR contributes to the national programme of development by:

* Building and transforming human capital;

* Strengthening the S&T base; and

* Performing relevant knowledge-generating research and transferring technology and skilled human capital.

Core focus on science

The CSIR transfers the knowledge generated through research activities by means of technology and skilled people. The generation and application of knowledge reside at the core of the CSIR. This takes place in domains such as biosciences; the built environment; defence, peace, safety and security; materials science and manufacturing; and natural resources and the environment.

Emerging research areas (ERAs):

These are new areas of science, which the CSIR explores, that could be unique to local circumstances or be successful internationally and need to be established for local competitiveness. Examples of ERAs include nanotechnology, synthetic biology, and mobile autonomous intelligent systems.

National research centres:

The CSIR houses specialist facilities of strategic importance for African science. These include information and communications technologies; laser technology; and space-related technology.

R&D outcomes:

The R&D Outcomes portfolio includes IP management, technology transfer (for commercial gain as well as for social good), knowledge dissemination and impact assessment.

Knowledge services:

The CSIR Knowledge Services group manages specialised and differentiated services. This is done on a routine basis to address the needs of clients.

Clients

 
The CSIR has clients in both the private sector (micro, small, medium and large enterprises; formal and informal), as well as in the public sector (national, provincial and local government). The organisation also deals with public enterprises and institutions, national safety and security establishments, and development structures. Regionally and abroad, the CSIR fosters partnerships and a network of clients and partner organisations as part of a global sphere of influence on matters of technology. The CSIR liaises closely with tertiary education institutions. With a strong emphasis on relevant and developmental work, it also has strong roots in various communities, and collaborates with a wide range of donors and funding agencies.