The Department of Science and Technology (DST) will do more to increase the number of science and technology students, in an effort to boost SA's bid to host the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) project.
The DST says its African Youth into Science and Engineering programme will ensure SA has the necessary expertise in the science, engineering and technology fields.
SA is competing against Australia to host the 1.5 billion-euro SKA. Fifteen countries are involved as potential donors to the SKA. SA hopes to benefit from significant investment as the host country, particularly for maintenance and operations over a 30- to 50-year period, which are expected to amount to about 150 million euro a year.
The DST says that, as one of its biggest science and engineering projects, the MeerKAT is already attracting leading scientists and engineers to work in SA, and will have a major effect on the country's reputation as a destination for astronomy, physics and hi-tech engineering.
The department says that, while the MeerKAT telescope, a pathfinder which will contribute to the development of the technology required for the SKA, is being constructed in the Northern Cape, more needs to be done to boost education.
The SKA African Youth into Science and Engineering programme was initiated in 2005 and offers bursaries to students in engineering, physics and astronomy at undergraduate and postgraduate level. Over 100 postgraduate students, 29 honours students and about 40 undergraduate students have already studied with SKA bursaries.
Economic development
The DST recently announced five new research chairs at universities across the country in an effort to boost the country's bid to host the project. The posts will be awarded for a period of 15 years, subject to review every five years, and are worth a total of R240 million over this period.
“The highly skilled young scientists and engineers supported by this programme will serve SA and our African partner countries, in key areas of economic development,” says Fanaroff.
Early this year, science and technology minister Naledi Pandor revealed SA had spent R258 million since 2003 on securing the project. The minister said R23 million was spent on universities, while R155 million had been spent building roads to the site. Another R11.5 million was spent on building accommodation.
The SKA is expected to constitute a capital investment of between 1.5 billion and two billion euro, about one-third from the US and one-third from the European Union, with the remainder funded by other partners.
The SKA will consist of approximately 3 000 dish-shaped antennae with stations spread over 3 000km. Botswana, Ghana, Zambia, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique and Namibia will host remote stations if the SKA is built in Africa.
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