1. S&T structure, s tatisti cal s ystem and i ssues related to S&T indicator development in Sri Lanka by Seetha Wickremasinghe National Science Foundation Sri Lanka

2. Presentation Layout  Socio economic indicators  S&T policy structure  S&T statistical system  Issues related to collection and dissemination of S&T statistics  Key outcomes of recent R&D surveys  Specific ongoing S&T projects  Planned S&T projects  Constraints

3. Some key socio economic indicators  GDP (2004) SL Rs. Million - 1,797,941 (Agriculture-18 %; Industry -27 %; Services - 55 %)  Average annual % growth rate of GDP - 4.0  Population (in million) - 19.2  Population growth (%) - 1.3  R&D expenditure for year 2004 (% of GDP) - 0.18  Researchers in R&D (per million people) - 191  Physicians (per million people) - 430  Literacy rate (% age 15 & above) - 92.1  HDI rank (out of 173 countries) - 96

4. Contd/-  Expenditure on education (% of GDP) - 2.09  Expenditure on health (% of GDP) - 1.69  University education (pupil/teacher) - 14.5  Unemployment rate (%) - 8.6  Labour force (million) - 7.9 Sources (2004): Central Bank of Sri Lanka; Dept. of Census & Statistics; Ministry of Health; Ministry of Education; Human Development Report 2004

5. S&T Policy Framework in Sri Lanka The Ministry of Science & Technology is the key Ministry of the Government of Sri Lanka that provides a framework for the Science & Technology development and growth of the country.

6. Mission of the S&T Ministry: Formulation of programmes and projects based on National Policy in respect of Science and Technology and the direction of the implementation of such programmes and projects

7. Main Institutions involved in S&T Policy framework in Sri Lanka Ministry of Science & Technology- Policy Implementation National Science & Technology Commission- Policy Formulation National Science Foundation- Policy Research & Recommendations Council for Agricultural Research Policy- Policy on agricultural sector

8. National Science & Technology Commission Industrial Technology Institute (former CISIR) National Science Foundation Arthur C. Clarke Centre for Modern Technology Nation. Engineering Research & Development Centre Sri Lanka Institute for Information Technology Council for Inform. Technology Atomic Energy Authority Ministry of S & T Institutes under the S&T Ministry

9. Other Ministries handling S&T related activities Agriculture Environ. & Natural Resources Ministry of S&T Industry & Investment promotion Fisheries & Aquatic Resources Small & Rural Industry Lands &Indigenous Medicine Plantation Industries Power & Energy Highways Education

10. Growth of different state organizations handling S&T Activities (since 1900s). Name No. Government Departments18 Universities 13+(2) Research Institutes 29 Boards 8 Bureau Agencies 4 Authorities 7 Institutions 10 Health 5 Corporations 7 Others 8 Total 104

11. S&T Structure of the country  Local R&D Institutes - 100% R&D work (e.g. TRI, RRI, CRI)  Universities - Teaching, Research, & Training  S&T Institutes - S&T services to public & other (Dept. of Census & Statistics)  Industries - e.g. Sri Lanka Telecom  Private - e.g. Marga Institute, CENWOR  International R&D Institutes - e.g. IWMI  International - e.g. UNESCO, FAO, World Bank Agencies  NGOs - e.g. IUCN

12. S&T Statistical System Dept. of Census & Statistics University Grants Commission SLAAS Central Bank of Sri Lanka Ministry of Health Department of Agriculture National Science Foundation Council For Agricultural Policy

13. Responsibilities regarding S&T Statistics  National Science Foundation is mandated for the regular collection of R&D and S&T Statistics (S&T Policy Act No. 11 of 1994)  It is the responsibility of the Science and Technology Policy Research Division (STPRD) of NSF  R&D Survey is guided by an Advisory Board to the STPRD  Internal progress review meetings held every 02-04 weeks with a Statistical Consultant

14. S&T Data Collection Procedure (National R&D Surveys) 1. Questionnaire Survey by mail 2. Four (04) types of questionnaires prepared * Government Sector * Higher education sector * Business enterprise sector * Private non profit sector 3. Contact persons appointed for each institute for coordination and data collection 4. Research Assistants appointed & trained where necessary (i.e.Universities)

15. Contd/- 5. Follow up action (reminders by phone, mail & fax, visits to the institutes) 6. Data entry 7. Data Analysis 8. Development of S&T indicators 9. Publication of full report 10. Publication of booklet with S&T indicators 11. Dissemination of Indicator booklet to relevant stakeholders

16. Difficulties encountered  No proper (legal) authorization to NSF to request data from relevant stakeholders  No mechanism for regular updating of S&T data in the institutes  Many stakeholders are not interested in R&D surveys and have their own reservations  Only a few S&T sector institutions collect data regularly for their particular interests but there is no network/link even among such institutes.  Many S&T sector institutes do not have regular data collection system

17. Issues of concern relevant to S&T statistics:  Some OECD definitions are not suitable for developing countries and hence need some amendments. i.e. S&T fields - Social Sciences, Law.,  Individual funds received are not recorded in financial reports of the Institute  Funds awarded for collaborative research may be recorded twice or more  Standard questionnaire may not be perfectly applicable for Business enterprise sector  Some institutions have definitions such as researcher/ engineer, but they do not have proper educational qualifications

18. Contd/-  Many institutes do not keep their previous records or do not refer to same  Some institutes do not like to change their old questionnaire format due to the difficulty in comparison with the previous records  Basic and applied research – funds received for basic research are also used for infrastructure development and training. Hence there is confusion as to whether the whole amount is counted under basic research

19. National Expenditure for R&D- 2004

20. Science and Technology Personnel (STP) by Category STP Category 2004 Total number Percent of STP Per million inhabitants Scientists (Research) 4,03014.2208 Scientists (Administration & Management) 5,71620.1294 Technicians12,30243.3634 Other Supporting Staff 6,38422.5329 Total28,432100.01,465

21. Distribution of S&T Personnel (STP) by Sector -2004 Sector 19962004 STPPercentSTPPercent Higher Education3,99014.34,28515.1 State18,64567.112,68544.6 Private5,16518.611,46240.3 Total27,800100.028,432100.0 Note: Total STP includes all Researchers, Technicians, Supporting Staff and other Scientists in Service Sector Institutions

22. Educational Qualifications of S&T Scientists Qualification 19962004 No.% % Ph.D.1,47314.01,00110.3 M.Phil./ M.Sc.2,11620.01,40714.4 B.Sc. + P.G. Diploma 55166.0* 4104.2 B.Sc. (Special)6,37765.4 B.Sc. (General)5.7 Total10,555100.09,746100.0 *Include B.Sc. (Special) and B.Sc. (General) Degrees

23. Distribution of Scientists by Sex and Sector Sector 19962004 Total Female % Total Female % Higher Education 329024.762,92072.5 State589744.396,55720.9 Private409930.852696.6 Total13,286100.09,746100.0

24. Number of Patents registered locally, during the period 2001-2004 by Sector Sector2001200220032004 S&T Institutes5585 Higher Education1144 Private47813 Individual64494175 Total71625999

25. Institutions having MIS:  National Science Foundation (STMIS)  National Science & Technology Commission  University Grants Commission  Ministry of Tertiary Education & Training  Industrial Development Board  Council for Agricultural Research Policy  Central Bank of Sri Lanka  National Chamber of Commerce  Agrarian Research & Training Institute

26. Current trends in S&T disciplines ICT (Software Development ) & Biotechnology, Molecular Biology, Energy, Nanotechnology etc.

27. Specific ongoing projects:  Brain Drain of scientific community  S&T Graduate Tracer Study series  Employers’ perceptions on S&T graduates

28. Development of S&T databases at NSF:  STMIS (www.mis.nsf.ac.lk)  Database on inventors  Database on sophisticated scientific equipment & services available  Database on Sri Lankan Expatriate Scientists

29. Planned projects by the S&T Policy Research Division (STPRD) of the NSF:  Study on Women in Science  S&T Labour Market Survey

30. Constraints:  Frequent turnover of trained staff  High cost involved in R&D Surveys  Low response to questionnaires  Training opportunities for research team  Acute shortage of staff & vehicles

31. Thank you