The number of science, engineering and technology (SET) doctoral degrees awarded to black graduates in SA is slightly overtaking the number awarded to white graduates.
This is according to the latest annual SET indicators publication released by the National Advisory Council on Innovation (NACI).
The report shows doctoral SET degrees awarded to black graduates in SA's public universities grew from 172 in 2005 to 525 in 2014, compared to the growth of 317 to 437 doctoral degrees awarded to white graduates over the same period.
It shows that most of the researchers in the higher education and business sectors are still white (54.7% and 68.2%, respectively), compared to the demographics of the SET sector, in which black graduates have become the majority.
The black graduates' accomplishments in SET degrees is despite Stats SA recently pointing out that white, Indian, or Asian youths were more likely to complete Grade 12 than their black and coloured counterparts.
"The number of blacks and coloured youths that go to university has increased, dramatically so. The problem is that they don't complete, like their counterparts who are white. They are confronted by a number of challenges," said statistician general Dr Pali Lehohla.
Slow but steady
According to the NAC report, over the past 10 years, there has been a gradual increase in the total number of SET graduations, as well the proportion of female SET graduates, who account for at least 50% of these graduations.
The slight increase in postgraduate SET graduations between 2013 (27.7%) and 2014 (28.3%) was encouraging, following a decline from 29.9% to 27.7% experienced between 2012 and 2013, it notes.
The National Development Plan has set a target of 100 000 additional PhDs by 2030 to improve research and innovation capacity in SA. To reach this target, a total of 6 000 PhDs per annum needs to be produced.
NACI council member Dr Azar Jammine says the increase in the level of SET doctoral degrees being awarded indicates the establishment of a solid pool of researchers, something that is critical to building research capacity in the National System of Innovation.
Jammine says more needs to be done to ensure a restoration of business confidence in SA to boost investment in R&D. "Unless we improve investment in R&D, we run the risk of not addressing SA's triple challenges of poverty, unemployment and inequality."
Science and technology minister Naledi Pandor says SA is fortunate to have a fairly robust and able science and technology sector, competent research institutions and increasing numbers of emerging researchers.
"We should make special efforts to offer Technology Innovation Fund opportunities to international venture capital companies that command large resources. Such a move would improve SA's access to second-stage financing, and local innovation would benefit from these companies' experience and expertise," she notes.
Stumbling blocks
ICT veteran Adrian Schofield says the increase in black doctoral degrees in SET is long overdue, "although we must recognise that achieving that level of qualification is in itself a long process".
He points out there are probably many factors that have slowed the number of black academics in these subjects, starting with the long-standing lack of teaching capacity in schools, leading to a low number of matriculants entering universities to study SET subjects.
"As we have recently learned through the FeesMustFall protests, undergraduate studies are expensive," Schofield points out.
He explains that extending studies at university beyond the first degree is time-consuming and even more expensive, and most black students would come under pressure to take up paid employment to repay their family's investment and student loans.
"They also, quite naturally, want to enjoy the lifestyle that goes with higher paid jobs offered to qualified applicants. The demand for graduates in SET skills is higher than the supply, further dwindling the potential number who would be encouraged to remain in academia."
He urges SA to encourage a far higher number of black young people to take SET subjects, from school through to the higher levels of academia.
"These young people are the future - they have grown up in SA and they should be the ones researching solutions to national, regional and international issues. Globally, technology is the source of those solutions, and much of research and innovation stems from the laboratories and incubators attached to tertiary institutions."
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