A delegation from South Africa's National Research Foundation (NRF) visited IIASA to exchange knowledge on systems approaches to disruptive change, innovation, and evidence-informed decision-making. The visit reflects the longstanding collaboration between IIASA and South Africa.
South Africa has been a member of IIASA since 2007, with the National Research Foundation (NRF) serving as the country's National Member Organization (NMO). South Africa is also part of IIASA's Sub-Saharan Africa Regional Member Organization (SSARMO), which includes 18 African countries participating in the Science Granting Councils Initiative in Sub-Saharan Africa. The regional membership enables participating countries to engage with IIASA through a shared framework for scientific collaboration on common regional challenges.
Delegation from the National Research Foundation
- Bishen Singh, Chief Financial Officer
- Inba Thumbiran, Head of Supply Chain Management
- Angelo Syce, SCM Manager: Specifications, Policies and Systems
- Shaun Scott, Consultant
The delegation was welcomed by IIASA Director General Hans Joachim (John) Schellnhuber. They also met with Elena Rovenskaya, Program Director of the Advancing Systems Analysis Program, and Stefan Wrzaczek, Senior Research Scholar in the Economics of Disruptive Change (EDC) Research Group.
Rovenskaya and Wrzaczek presented Systems Approaches to Disruptive Change and Decision-Making, highlighting how IIASA applies systems analysis to address complex challenges and support decision-making under uncertainty.
A dedicated discussion with researchers from the Economics of Disruptive Change Research Group and other IIASA experts focused on how systems analysis, systems thinking, and economic approaches can support evidence-informed procurement of innovation and institutional decision-making. The exchange examined how institutions respond to large-scale technological, political, ecological, and pandemic-related disruptions, and how systems approaches can help translate scientific evidence into implementation, policy, and procurement practice.
The visit provided an opportunity to deepen collaboration between IIASA and the NRF, strengthen links between South African and IIASA researchers, and identify areas for future cooperation on systems-based approaches to complex policy challenges.
© Source: NRF
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