| Council for Scientific and Industrial Research |
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| Abbreviation |
CSIR |
| Formation |
1945[1] |
| Type |
Research and development organisation |
| Location |
Pretoria, South Africa |
| Region served |
South Africa |
| President and CEO |
Sibusiso Sibisi[2] |
| Website |
www.csir.co.za |
The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) is South Africa's central and premier scientific research and development organisation. It was established by an act of parliament in 1945 and is situated on its own campus in the city of Pretoria.[3] It is the largest research and development (R&D) organisation in Africa and accounts for about 10% of the entire African R&D budget. It has a staff of approximately 3,000 technical and scientific researchers, often working in multi-disciplinary teams.
In 1999 a strategic alliance was formed between the University of Pretoria and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research.[4] This alliance, which is known as the Southern Education and Research Alliance (SERA), collaborates locally and internationally with universities, NGO’s, companies and multinational bodies in various research areas.[5] The SERA partners share a vision for a world-class, innovative and market responsive business that delivers appropriate information, facilitates knowledge connectivity through knowledge workers, links the best minds to create a global network, and protects intellectual property. Through their co-operation the alliance partners aim at fostering a non-exclusive academic, scientific and technological environment that will benefit all participants and the country as a whole.[6][7] Sera has a 50% shareholding in the Innovation Hub, a fully accredited technology park situated on 60 hectares of the university's experimental farm.[8]
[edit] Research areas
The CSIR's main areas of research are:[9]
- Biosciences
- Built environment
- Defence, peace, safety and security
- Information and communications technology
- Laser technology
- Materials science and manufacturing
- Mobile intelligent autonomous systems
- Nanotechnology
- Natural resources and the environment
- Space technology
- Synthetic Biology
- Research centres at the CSIR
- National Laser Centre
- Meraka Institute
[edit] External links
[edit] References
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| Founding Partners |
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| Ad hoc collaborative South African Institutions |
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| Ad hoc collaborative International Institutions |
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Coordinates: 25°44′53″S 28°16′34″E / 25.7481°S 28.2762°E / -25.7481; 28.2762