CSIR hosts biennial science and innovation conference in partnership with G-STIC
The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) is celebrating 80 years of touching lives through innovation. As part of celebrating this milestone, the organisation will host its ninth Biennial Conference from 08 to 10 October 2025, in collaboration with the Global Sustainable Technology & Innovation Community (G-STIC), an initiative led by the Belgian Research and Technology Organisation (VITO). The conference will be held in conjunction with the 8th G-STIC Conference, marking G-STIC’s inaugural conference on the African continent.
Joint Media Statement
The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) is celebrating 80 years of touching lives through innovation. As part of celebrating this milestone, the organisation will host its ninth Biennial Conference from 08 to 10 October 2025, in collaboration with the Global Sustainable Technology & Innovation Community (G-STIC), an initiative led by the Belgian Research and Technology Organisation (VITO). The conference will be held in conjunction with the 8th G-STIC Conference, marking G-STIC’s inaugural conference on the African continent.
The CSIR@80 | G-STIC Conference in Pretoria held under the theme “Science, Technology and Innovation for a Sustainable Future” aligns with a decision made six years ago by the global community to adopt Agenda 2030 and its associated Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) — an ambitious global action programme aimed at steering the world towards a more economically sustainable, socially equitable and environmentally sound development path.
It will be attended by a diverse group of stakeholders, including scientific experts, academics, industry leaders and members of the public, all coming together to explore how research, development and innovation (RD&I) can be leveraged to strengthen and grow the local and international economy. The discussions and exhibitions conducted during the conference will emphasise the critical role that RD&I plays in driving sustainable economic development and fostering innovation across various sectors.
The conference aims to underscore the global necessity of collaboration to meet the SDGs by 2030. It will also highlight the importance of cross-border exchanges of scientific expertise and technological innovations, as this collaboration is vital to accelerating the development of technological solutions that address global challenges.
"The collaboration between the CSIR and G-STIC is crucial to unlocking the full potential of research, development and innovation in tackling the global challenges we face today. As the CSIR celebrates 80 years of innovation, we have learnt over the years that by working together, we can leverage collective scientific expertise, drive technological advancements, and accelerate technological solutions that not only strengthen the local economy, but also contribute to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. In a world where challenges are interconnected, fostering global partnerships is key to driving technological advancements and touching lives through innovation," says CSIR CEO Dr Thulani Dlamini.
The CSIR@80 | G-STIC conference in Pretoria will serve as a critical platform for fostering collaboration between South Africa, the rest of Africa, and global stakeholders in sustainable technology innovation. It aligns with South Africa’s sustainability priorities and contributes to the broader objectives of the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the SDGs.
“With this event, we want to strengthen science-policy-business linkages for sustainability solutions, facilitate knowledge exchange on climate resilience, energy transition, water security and health. It is a unique opportunity to highlight Africa’s innovation potential in addressing global challenges through sustainable technologies and to mobilise partnerships and investments for large-scale impact,” says Dietrich Van der Weken, General Manager G-STIC.
To participate and join the conference, register at: Registration - 8TH G-STIC CONFERENCE IN SOUTH AFRICA
For enquiries, reach out to: Phetolo Phatsibi, Media Practitioner at PPhatsibi@csir.co.za or +27 81 396 8871.
About the CSIR:
The CSIR, an entity of the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation, is one of Africa’s leading organisations in scientific and technology research, development and implementation. Constituted by an Act of Parliament in 1945 as a science council, the CSIR undertakes directed and multidisciplinary research and technological innovation, as well as industrial and scientific development, to improve the quality of life of all South Africans.
This year, the CSIR celebrates 80 years of touching lives through innovation. For more information, visit www.csir.co.za
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About G-STIC
G-STIC, the Global Sustainable Technological and Innovation Community, inspires companies, social and economic stakeholders, financial actors and policy makers to co-create solutions that accelerate progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals. By fostering cross-sector collaboration and out-of-the-box thinking, G-STIC promotes win-win solutions that drive economic growth, environmental sustainability, and social equity. In doing so, G-STIC aims at supporting policymakers to develop Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) roadmaps for the SDGs and it enables captains of industry and financiers to identify and scale up bankable innovations and investment-ready opportunities.
G-STIC is hosted jointly by VITO (the prime research and technology organization on cleantech and sustainable development in Belgium) and 9 other not-for-profit independent technology research institutes: CSIR (The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, South Africa), FIOCRUZ (Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Brazil), GIEC (Guangzhou Institute of Energy Conversion, China), JITRI (Jiangsu Industrial Technology Research Institute, China), MASEN (Moroccan Agency for Sustainable Energy), NACETEM (National Centre for Technology Management, Nigeria), STEPI (Science and Technology Policy Institute, South Korea), TERI (The Energy and Resources Institute, India) and TII (Technology Innovation Institute, United Arab Emirates).
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