A. ASSAf Consensus Study Reports
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In order for ASSAf to fulfil its science advisory role regarding key challenges facing the nation, a variety of consensus and assessment studies are undertaken. Activities are aligned closely with government’s strategic goals. The in-depth Consensus Study Reports are either commissioned by an external funder or generated by a Standing Committee on a specific topic. ASSAf has Standing Committees on Health; Scholarly Publishing in South Africa; Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Education; Biosafety and Biosecurity; Humanities; and Science for the Reduction of Poverty and Inequality.
Peer-Review Status: Peer-Reviewed
Enquiries: Susan Veldsman
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Item Report on Grouped Peer Review of Scholarly Journals in Other Disciplines(Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf), 2023-06) Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf)The peer review report entitled Report on Grouped Peer Review of Scholarly Journals in Other Disciplines is the 14th in a series of discipline-grouped evaluations of South African scholarly journals. This is part of a scholarly assurance process initiated by the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf). The process is centered on multi-perspective, discipline-based evaluation panels appointed by the Academy Council on the recommendation of the Academy’s Committee on Scholarly Publishing in South Africa (CSPiSA). This detailed report presents the peer review panel’s consolidated consensus reports on each journal and provides the panel’s recommendations in respect of DHET accreditation, inclusion on the SciELO SA platform and suggestions for improvement in general. The main purpose of the ASSAf review process for journals is to improve the scholarly publication in the country that is consonant with traditional scholarly practices.Item Report on Grouped Peer Review of Scholarly Journals in Economics and Business Management(Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf), 2022) Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf)The peer review report titled 'Report on Grouped Peer Review of Scholarly Journals in Economics and Business Management' is the 13th in a series of discipline-grouped evaluations of South African scholarly journals. This is part of a scholarly assurance process initiated by the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf). The process is centered on multi-perspective, discipline-based evaluation panels appointed by the Academy Council on the recommendation of the Academy’s Committee on Scholarly Publishing in South Africa (CSPiSA). This detailed report presents the peer review panel’s consolidated consensus reports on each journal and provides the panel’s recommendations in respect of DHET accreditation, inclusion on the SciELO SA platform and suggestions for improvement in general. The main purpose of the ASSAf review process for journals is to improve the scholarly publication in the country that is consonant with traditional scholarly practices.Item Report on Grouped Peer Review of Scholarly Journals in Mathematics and Science(Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf), 2021) Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf)The peer review report entitled Report on Grouped Peer Review of Scholarly Journals in Mathematics and Science is the 12th in a series of discipline-grouped evaluations of South African scholarly journals. This is part of a scholarly assurance process initiated by the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf). The process is centered on multi-perspective, discipline-based evaluation panels appointed by the Academy Council on the recommendation of the Academy’s Committee on Scholarly Publishing in South Africa (CSPiSA). This detailed report presents the peer review panel’s consolidated consensus reports on each journal and provides the panel’s recommendations in respect of DHET accreditation, inclusion on the SciELO SA platform and suggestions for improvement in general. The main purpose of the ASSAf review process for journals is to improve the scholarly publication in the country that is consonant with traditional scholarly practices.Item Evaluation of Alternative Telecommunication Technologies for the Karoo Central Astronomy Advantage Area(Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf), 2021) Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf); South African Academy of Engineering (SAAE)The National Research Foundation (NRF) requested the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf), on behalf of South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO) and the Square Kilometre Array (SKA), to undertake an independent and objective evaluation of potential alternative telecommunication technologies for the areas of the Karoo Central Astronomy Advantage Areas (KCAAA). The study encompasses regulatory, public sphere, and technical dimensions to explore options for maintaining the functionality of the telescope while, at the same time, delivering appropriate connectivity solutions for local communities.Item Second Biennial Report on the State of Climate Science and Technology in South Africa(Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf), 2019) Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf); Department of Science and Innovation (DSI)This is the second biennial report on the State of Climate Science and Technology in South Africa, commissioned by the Departments of Science and Innovation (DSI) and Environment, Forestry and Fisheries, and compiled by the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf). The first biennial report, completed at the end of 2016, covered the period 2005 – 2015. This second report covered the period of 2016 – 2017.Item Root Causes of Low Vaccination Coverage and Under-Immunisation in Sub-Saharan Africa(Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf), 2021) Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf)Sub–Saharan Africa (SSA) alone accounts for 40% of all global deaths, a phenomenon attributed to lack of access to available lifesaving vaccines (Wiysonge, Uthman, Ndumbe, & Hussey, 2012). WHO estimates that in 2019 the African region accounted for approximately 43% of unimmunised and incomplete immunised infants in the world (i.e.: 8.5 million of the global 19.4 million). Relatedly, the region scores the lowest immunisation coverage, at 76% versus the global coverage of 86% (WHO, 2020a). This is despite several documented efforts by different stakeholders to improve coverage in the region (Mihigo, Okeibunor, Anya, Mkanda, & Zawaira, 2017). Many studies have been conducted on coverage and drivers for and bottlenecks against immunisation in SSA. (Wiysonge, Uthman, Ndumbe, & Hussey, 2012), (Wiysonge, Young, Kredo, McCaul, & Volmik, 2015), (Mihigo, Okeibunor, Anya, Mkanda, & Zawaira, 2017), (Madhi & Rees, 2018),(Bangura, et al., 2020), all of which have observed that there is varied performance among the constituent countries, and also within countries over time, denoting some implicitly common underlying correlates threading through areas of higher performance; and the same is seen with the poorer performing areas. This consensus study therefore seeks to categorise and make explicit these “root causes” and based on documented successes, to make recommendations to address the bottlenecks and harness the opportunities for reaching every child with all the recommended vaccines. The theory of change presentation style used in this report, categorising the root causes under four broad interlinked themes, can provide a common basis to rally like-minded partners around a thematic cause and thus develop multi-component, comprehensive strategies to bring about impactful change. This is in line with the call made by the World Health Organisation Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunisation, which recommended that countries, regions and global immunisation partners commit to a comprehensive review of progress, impact, and implementation of the WHO Global Vaccine Action Plan to inform a post-2020 strategy taking into account lessons learned. This strategy will assist with attaining the relevant United Nations Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.Item Report on Grouped Peer Review of Scholarly Journals in History, Philosophy and Politics(Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf), 2021) Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf)The peer review report entitled Report on Grouped Peer Review of Scholarly Journals in History, Philosophy and Politics is the eleventh in a series of discipline-grouped evaluations of South African scholarly journals. This is part of a scholarly assurance process initiated by the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf). The process is centered on multi-perspective, discipline-based evaluation panels appointed by the Academy Council on the recommendation of the Academy’s Committee on Scholarly Publishing in South Africa (CSPiSA). This detailed report presents the peer review panel’s consolidated consensus reports on each journal and provides the panel’s recommendations in respect of DHET accreditation, inclusion on the SciELO SA platform and suggestions for improvement in general. The main purpose of the ASSAf review process for journals is to improve the scholarly publication in the country that is consonant with traditional scholarly practices.Item Provider core competencies for improved Mental health care of the nation(Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf), 2021) Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf)This report is a comprehensive document reviewing current training programmes for various cadres of service providers who provide (or could provide) care for people with mental, neurological and substance use (MNS) disorders in South Africa. The review used national mental health and disability policies to develop a vision of contextually-appropriate services using a task-shifting disability-inclusive approach as a framework for the review. The report consists of the following sections: • An introductory section including the executive summary, background to, and methodology of the study. • The body of the report consists of separate chapters for each category of service provider, with a detailed examination of current curricula measured against the core competencies identified by the researchers. Key findings are highlighted at the start of each chapter, as well in the concluding section of the report. • The concluding section of the report summarises key findings, discusses limitations of the study and makes recommendations regarding the use of the report as well as for further research.Item Report on Grouped Peer Review of Scholarly Journals in Communication and Information Sciences(Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf), 2019) Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf)The peer review report entitled Report on Grouped Peer Review of Scholarly Journals in Communication and Information Sciences is the ninth in a series of discipline-grouped evaluations of South African scholarly journals. This is part of a scholarly assurance process initiated by the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf). The process is centered on multi-perspective, discipline-based evaluation panels appointed by the Academy Council on the recommendation of the Academy’s Committee on Scholarly Publishing in South Africa (CSPiSA). This detailed report presents the peer review panel’s consolidated consensus reports on each journal and provides the panel’s recommendations in respect of DHET accreditation, inclusion on the SciELO SA platform and suggestions for improvement in general. The main purpose of the ASSAf review process for journals is to improve the scholarly publication in the country that is consonant with traditional scholarly practices.Item Report on Grouped Peer Review of Scholarly Journals in Education(Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf), 2020) Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf)The peer review report entitled Report on Grouped Peer Review of Scholarly Journals in Education is the tenth in a series of discipline-grouped evaluations of South African scholarly journals. This is part of a scholarly assurance process initiated by the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf). The process is centered on multi-perspective, discipline-based evaluation panels appointed by the Academy Council on the recommendation of the Academy’s Committee on Scholarly Publishing in South Africa (CSPiSA). This detailed report presents the peer review panel’s consolidated consensus reports on each journal and provides the panel’s recommendations in respect of DHET accreditation, inclusion on the SciELO SA platform and suggestions for improvement in general. The main purpose of the ASSAf review process for journals is to improve the scholarly publication in the country that is consonant with traditional scholarly practices.