Shanghai, China- South Africa is seeking to strengthen its pipeline of scientists and innovators through investment in young researchers, skills development and international cooperation, while recognising that support must begin long before students enter university.
Department of Science, Technology and Innovation Director-General, Dr Mlungisi Cele, outlined this approach during the Science and Technology Policy Thematic Forum at the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation Director-General, Dr Mlungisi Cele in Shanghai, China, on Sunday.
“While our system is relatively strong, given its size, there is an opportunity to strengthen our talent pipeline,” he said.
The engagement examined how countries can better integrate education, scientific research, technological innovation and talent development so that knowledge contributes meaningfully to economic growth and social progress.
Cele’s address placed the development of young people at the centre of this effort, linking opportunities at school with postgraduate training, research careers and the skills required for emerging technologies.
He said government continues to invest in strategic interventions to cultivate a new generation of postgraduate researchers, including opportunities for postgraduate students and early-career researchers in international research settings.
The department also supported postgraduate development through scholarships, alongside investment in research capacity at public universities.
Cele highlighted the South African Research Chairs Initiative as an instrument for strengthening research and innovation through the establishment of chairs at universities and sustained investment.
These interventions formed part of a broader effort to build scientific capabilities while ensuring that researchers had opportunities to develop their expertise.
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Talent development
However, his remarks also acknowledged that the country’s future research workforce depends on the strength of the education pipeline feeding into universities.
He pointed to the need for greater specificity in supporting younger students, “from early childhood to high school”.
The department’s support included the National Science Olympiad and science projects that gave learners opportunities to demonstrate their capabilities.
Such initiatives featured in his account of a connected talent development pipeline stretching from basic education through tertiary study and into the pursuit of national economic and social goals.
Cele acknowledged that existing challenges within the system were affecting progress towards the country’s aspirations.
Alongside this focus on younger learners, he emphasised preparing people for technological changes that could reshape research and employment.
“We also support the development of skills for the future of work, as well as foundational research capabilities,” he said.
He referred to the growing impact of artificial intelligence and the potential significance of quantum computing, linking skills development to the country’s wider digital economy ambitions.
Partnerships
International partnerships are another central element of the approach, offering a means to support talent development through shared research interests and cooperation.
Cele identified the Young Scientists Programme, joint research centres and collaborative research among the instruments contributing to South Africa’s efforts.
He also pointed to China–Africa cooperation and bilateral government agreements as avenues for advancing the development of scientific talent.
His participation brought South Africa’s experience into a discussion about capable institutions, future generations of researchers and innovators, and policy systems that enable scientific advances to address societal challenges.
The focus was on developing people alongside research capacity, with education, skills and cooperation contributing to the country’s longer-term scientific and development ambitions.
He outlined an ambition for a South Africa with an expanded talent pipeline, a stronger national research workforce and a more inclusive economy driven by innovation.
Achieving that vision, he said, involved connecting support across different stages of education and research while maintaining cooperation with international partners. This connected approach linked the cultivation of scientific talent to the country’s broader economic and social aspirations.
“We will continue strengthening scientific excellence, drawing on our national strengths, while also leveraging collaboration strategies with partners such as China and Shanghai,” Cele said.
The forum, which the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Professor Blade Nzimande, addressed on Saturday, will conclude on 14 September 2026. -SAnews.gov.za
