A Call For Integrated Research

54 YEARS AGO In this report, Prof H.O. Monnig, former chairperson of the South African Science Advisory Council, explained the importance of co-operation between universities and research councils.

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The report, published after an extensive overseas study tour, appeared towards the end of last year.

Western Cape farmers with their intensive agriculture having continuously to be modified to meet overseas competition, are vitally concerned at the erosion of research manpower and the consequent lack of progress in many fields.

A veteran research worker and doyen professor of pomology in South Africa, Prof O.S.H. Reinecke, says that the reforms advocated are long overdue and should be implemented without delay. The main theme of the report, closer integration of research with the universities and greater concentration on fundamental problems, is no new concept overseas, but it cuts across present practice in South Africa. So does the proposal that research work should be co-ordinated and directed by four separate research councils for the different scientific disciplines.

The future of agricultural research is radically affected since it is presently concentrated outside of universities. The report recommends that agricultural faculties, now departmentally staffed, should become fully-integrated university faculties, enabled to do the necessary research on basic problems.

Prof Reinecke feels that the reforms advocated will do much to ensure the farming community is served with more reliable advice and research results.

THE ‘BRAIN DRAIN’

He concedes that in the interim period of change-over to the new system there will be difficulties, but ultimately there will be a stronger flow of university men into research work and the country will cease to lose some of the most talented men down the ‘brain drain’ of overseas universities.

On the contrary, the country may then hope to attract some of the more brilliant overseas scientists interested in local problems.