2002-2003

Printer-friendly version

FIFTH ANNUAL REPORT

1 APRIL 2002 - 31 MARCH 2003

Dr P W B Kruger
President

EVOLUTION OF ENGINEERING ACADEMIES*

Four centuries before Christ, during Socrates' times, there existed in the neighbourhood of the walls of ancient Athens a beautiful public garden. Socrates used the place to explain his philosophies to his disciples. Plato and Aristotles continued to teach there and the Greeks gave the garden the name of Academy. Gradually the term became the synonym of a higher education school.

With this in mind an unusual cultural movement soon followed in Alexandria, Egypt. It consisted of a cultural center, with the Museum and the Library including a vast laboratory of ideas of antiquity and is considered by historians as the first Academy of the world.

It is only as from the Renaissance that the designation of Academy is used to identify societies or institutions, that following the footsteps of the Alexandria movement, were created to cultivate and promote knowledge in literature, arts and sciences. The first such Academies were founded in Italy in the 13th to 15th centuries and in France followed the Academie Francaise in 1637 that still exists today with a maximum of 40 members of poets and writers.

During the 17th century the English Royal Society and the Academie de Science in France came to life. The success achieved by both these famous scientific academies stimulated the founding of several European Academies such as the Academy of Science of Vienna in 1676, the Scientific Academy of Berlin in 1700 and the Scientific Academy of Saint Petersburg in 1724, established by Tsar Peter the Great. In 1863 the National Academy of Sciences was created by President Abraham Lincoln through a Law of Congress.

The appearance of Academies of Engineering were delayed since, as the profession gained its identity, it received the acknowledgement of the Academies of Sciences through Section's or Councils created to deal with matters pertinent to engineering and technology. The first Academy of Engineering appeared in 1919 under the name of the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences. With the growing awareness of the increasing role of technology in the competitiveness of countries, many Engineering Academies followed towards the end of the 20th century. The first International Convocation of Engineering Academies took place in 1978 with only five founding members: Australia, UK, Mexico, USA and Sweden.

The Council of Academies of Engineering and Technological Sciences (CAETS) was incorporated on 13 June 2000 as an independent non-political and non-governmental organization of like Academies to advise governments and international organizations on technical policy issues.

Currently, 41 Academies of Engineering have been established, of which 26 are Members of CAETS. Biennial Convocations are held hosted by one of the Member Academies.

The South African Academy of Engineering (SAAE) was established as an independent body in March 1997 to serve the same function in South Africa as the other Academies in their respective countries: to provide impartial expert advice to Governments on technological policy issues - on request - and promote excellence in engineering to meet their countries' needs.

During the past financial year SAAE has again made significant progress in advancing its role in the South African professional environment.

The following actions took place:

Four Executive Committee Meetings, one Special General Meeting (SGM) and an Annual General Meeting (AGM) were held in Pretoria during the year.
28 May 2002     28 May 2002 (AGM)
23 August 2002     26 November 2002
18 February 2003     18 February 2003 (SGM)
One Meeting of the Fellows in the Western Cape Region was held in Bellville on 29 July 2003.

____________________________

* Abstracted from Indian National Academy of Engineering Newsletter (Winter 2003).

A new EXCO elected for a two year term at the AGM consists of 5 previous and 5 new EXCO members: Previous: Bingle Kruger, Ferdie Geyer, Dawid Mostert, Bob St Leger, Frank van Duuren New: Trueman Goba, Fred Hugo, Braam le Roux, Bob Pullen, Roelf Sandenbergh Fellow Bingle Kruger has been re-elected as Chairman/President for the new term of two years.

MEMBERSHIP

N A Barcza (General Manager: Business Development and Technology Commercialization, Mintek)
J Bosman (Consultant, formerly Director at Kwezi V3 Engineers)
C A Carter (Consultant, formerly Director of Ninham Shand)
G A Ekama (Professor of Water Quality, Univ of Cape Town)
C J Fauconnier (Chief Executive, Kumba Resources Ltd)
J C Havinga (Divisional Managing Director, Grinaker-LTA Limited)
M A Jamie (Chief Executive Officer, Arcus Gibb (Pty) Ltd)
W J Pienaar (Managing Director, Tolplan Consulting)
H Rüther (Professor for Geomatics, University of Cape Town)
T M L Setiloane (Executive Director, Real Africa Group)
P J Strauss (Consultant, formerly Director at BKS Group (Pty) Ltd)
J N van der Merwe (Head: Department of Mining Engineering, University of Pretoria)
J A van der Westhuizen (General Manager, Sasol Limited)
J P Venter (Divisonal Director, BKS Group (Pty) Ltd)
J R G Williamson (Director, Knight Piésold)

The Gauteng Induction Dinner for ten new Fellows took place on 11 June 2002 at Gallagher Estates. The President of the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE) Dr. Long Jian was the guest speaker. His inspiring address on China can be read on the SAAE Website.

The Western Cape Induction Dinner for six new Fellows took place in Stellenbosch on 30 July 2002 with Prof. Wieland Gevers, the President of the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAF) as guest speaker. He gave excellent insight on the development process and experience of ASSAF whose Bill was finally enacted on 1 December 2001. Co-operation between the two Academies bodes well for the future.

INTERNATIONAL ACTIVITIES

SAAE gratefully acknowledges receiving publications regularly from a large number of Engineering Academies around the world.
A highly successful Joint SAAE/ATSE Workshop on Water Resources Management was planned during the year and held in Melbourne, Australia on 2 and 3 April 2003. It was complimented by technical visits. Attendance consisted of 23 delegates from Australia and 10 from South Africa. Papers presented were of exceptionally high standard, reflecting the eminence of the participants. Areas of meaningful further co-operation were identified. Proceedings of the Workshop will be published.
The following activities took place between the SAAE and the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE) during the year:
- On 21 May 2002 the SAAE hosted presentations in Pretoria by a Chinese bridge engineering delegation on the Largest Span Stone Arch Bridge in the World and on Bridge Maintenance Management in China. Some 18 bridge engineers from public and private authorities attended the presentations.
- A Triangular Symposium between Transportek (CSIR), SAAE and the China-Africa Engineering Association (CAEA) as part of the Annual South African Transport Conference 15-19 July 2002 in Pretoria. Fellows of SAAE presented papers.
- A delegation of SAAE, led by Fellow Bingle Kruger visited China on invitation of CAE on 12-22 October 2002. The following are the main achievements of the visit:
  - Signing of an Agreement of Co-operation between SAAE and CAE.
  - Concluding a Bi-lateral Agreement between the Universities of South China and Stellenbosch facilitated by Fellow Fred Hugo (November 2003).
  - Delivering technical papers at various national, provincial and local forums.
  - Developing a long term productive relationship between South African and Chinese public and private institutions.
  - Setting a draft Programme of Co-operation for 2003.
Copies of the SAAE Report on the Visit and the Co-operation Agreement have been provided to the CAE and the South African Embassy of the People's Republic of China.
Fellow Bob St Leger attended the CAETS Council Meeting and Symposium on Synergies of Engineering Branches in Prague from 25th to 27th August 2002 on behalf of SAAE.
- to obtain a better understanding of the role and value of CAETS membership;
- to promote co-operation between SAAE and other Academies and to learn from their activities and experience for application in our own Management Plan and Draft Bill;
- to contribute to the Proceedings and create an awareness of SAAE. Fellow St Leger compiled an extensive and valuable Report to SAAE Exco on his participation in the CAETS Council Meeting and Symposium.
SAAE arranged for the Club of Rome's contribution to the World Summit on Sustainable Development 2002 to be presented to an invited audience at the University of Pretoria. The subject "No Limits to Knowledge, but Limits to Poverty: Towards a Sustainable Knowledge Society" presented by Prof. Raoul Weiler, the President of the Club of Rome in Brussels, attracted wide interest and was very well received.

LOCAL ACTIVITIES

At its Meeting on 26 November 2002 EXCO took the decision to proceed with finalising the drafting of a Bill to obtain statutory status for SAAE. This came from discussions of Fellow Bob St Leger at CAETS and should enhance SAAE's recognition and funding prospects. Excellent work has been done by a team of Fellows in the Western Cape on a Draft Bill and on a supporting Draft Management Plan.
This year saw the completion of the Solutions 2000 video project on Engineering and Technology in Africa. The series was initiated and facilitated by SAAE and ECSA and given due credit in the scroll. It will be shown in 13 episodes from 1 June 2003 during prime time on SABC television under the name of AfriCAN and will also receive exposure across Africa and the World. It shows Engineering and Technology as a positive force in the African society and as a worthwhile career path for young people and disadvantaged groups. Its style of publicity is golden for South Africa and the African continent. More than 50% of the budget for a second series is already in place.
SAAE assisted the National Council on Innovation (NACI) at their request with an audit of the implementation of the Innovation Policy of the White Paper on Science and Technology. Fellow Fred Hugo represented SAAE in a small international task team appointed by NACI.
Some eleven Engineering Institutions represented by the Pretoria Engineer's Liaison Committee have been responsible for the Annual Hendrik van der Bijl Lecture since 1963. The general theme of these lectures presented by leading personalities has been "The Role of Engineering in Society". This responsibility has from 2002 been accepted jointly by SAAE and the University of Pretoria. Lectures will be co-ordinated with the various Institutions of all engineering disciplines. Mr Christoph K`pke, President of Daimler Chrysler presented the lecture on the Automotive Industry on 26 November 2002 at the University of Pretoria.
SAAE again participated in the highly successful Technology Top 100 program of the South African Engineering Association culminating in the eminent annual award ceremony in November 2002 at Gallagher Estates. Our Fellows took part in the adjudication in the Western Cape and in Gauteng. The SAAE Research and Development Award went to Eskom Research, Development and Demonstration.
The SAAE website is operational since May 2002 (www.saae.co.za).

The above international and local activities of the SAAE indicate that important growth is maintained. Although still small in numbers, it is reaching the stage where its eminent engineering membership is able to provide the service needed to fulfil its Mission. However, formal recognition through an Act of Parliament remains a key element for greater success in the near future.