Dr Saahier Parker, Senior Research Specialist at the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC), shared key insights from the South African Public Relationship with Science (SAPRS) Survey during a public lecture hosted by CUT.

The Central University of Technology, Free State (CUT), in partnership with the National Research Foundation through the South African Agency for Science and Technology Advancement (NRF-SAASTA), hosted a public lecture exploring key findings from the South African Public Relationship with Science (SAPRS) Survey.

The survey provides the first national baseline of South Africans’ knowledge, attitudes and engagement with science and technology, offering valuable evidence on how the public understands and interacts with science. The findings support the NRF’s mandate to strengthen science engagement and build meaningful connections between science and society.

Dr Saahier Parker, Senior Research Specialist at the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC), presented key insights from the survey and highlighted their implications for strengthening public engagement with science.

Conducted by the HSRC in 2022 on behalf of the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI), the SAPRS survey is the first study of its kind in South Africa. It will be conducted every five years, creating an important longitudinal measure of changing public perceptions, understanding and participation in science and technology.

The findings shed light on the factors shaping South Africans’ science knowledge, attitudes and participation, providing an evidence base to guide future science engagement initiatives, inform policy development and support more inclusive approaches to connecting science with society.

The public lecture provided an important platform for dialogue on how research, education and science engagement can work together to strengthen public understanding of science and foster a more informed and engaged society.