Joint SAP Meraka unit begins research into using IT to address under-development

The SAP Meraka unit for technology development, a partnership between SAP Africa and SA's Meraka Institute, supported by the department of science and technology (DST), will begin research this year into the use of information and communications technology (ICT) to alleviate under-development and poverty in South Africa.

The unit represents co-investment by the DST and SAP to the tune of R50 million each over the next five years, in order to develop SA research capabilities in the area of ICT, not, as the minister of science and technology, Mosibudi Mangena, says, "for the sake of doing research, but to come up with practical ways of using ICT to address socio-economic problems that this country is facing right now.

"The fact that SAP is investing with us in such a venture shows what is possible between government and the private sector. We find the motivation and orientation behind their co-investment with us very refreshing."

Director of the SAP Research CEC in Pretoria, Danie Kok, says: "Leaving the moral imperatives to one side, we see helping the SA government meet its objectives of triggering research innovation, local development and commercialisation as extremely good business for us.

"That's because the SAP Meraka unit will help SAP as a global organisation understand the technology needs of emerging economies and, therefore, enable us to make our products and services more relevant to those markets. And, because we already know that products for technology-deprived communities need to be a lot easier to use than they currently are, the adjustments we make to SAP technology for emerging markets are also going to streamline the products we offer in our established markets.

"So helping the country helps us," he says.

The SAP Meraka unit's research agenda focuses on enabling ICT to contribute to the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in a developing context. Research topics will include technical applications, infrastructure, business and human-computer interaction.

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The unit will also focus on DST objectives internally, by giving masters and doctoral students from previously disadvantaged backgrounds hands-on experience with its research projects.

"This kind of development of human capital is extremely dear to our hearts - and we commend SAP for being mindful of race and gender in the way they staff their research projects," says the minister.

The Director-General of the DST, Dr Philemon Mjwara, adds: "In focusing the DST's efforts on developing SMEs, we recognise that South Africa is a small country far from the big markets. So we have to do two things - make it attractive for large multinationals to work with us in developing world-class talent, and then use that talent to ensure the sustainability of SMEs.

"The SAP Meraka unit enables us to do both those things in the field of ICT. The post-graduate students that will be trained by and at the unit will carry their skills forward into the SME market, and help to create a critical mass of ICT research skills that will make this country a sought-after ICT research destination. So, we are delighted that SAP has had the confidence in South Africa in general and in the DST in particular to work with us on these issues."

The SAP Meraka unit will be jointly managed by the SAP research CEC in Pretoria, the first of SAP's seven global research divisions to be based in Africa, and the CSIR's Meraka Institute, whose major objective is to promote national economic and social development, through human capital development and needs-based research, and innovation in the ICT sector.

Both organisations will have representation on the unit's scientific advisory board and management committee, in order to assess projects and set research priorities.

The posts of director and senior researchers and programme managers for the unit are to be advertised early in 2007.