What question did this study set out to answer?

This report aims to present comprehensive findings from the 2020/21 South African National Survey of Research and Experimental Development.

May 24, 2026Open Access

South African National Survey of Research and Experimental Development: statistical report 2020/21

Key Points

This report aims to present comprehensive findings from the 2020/21 South African National Survey of Research and Experimental Development.
Data was collected across various sectors for the 12-month period corresponding to their financial years.
The survey covers sectors including business enterprises, government, higher education, non-profits, and science councils.
Annual publication provides summary analysis and time series data for comparison with previous surveys.
The report includes key findings from the survey, indicating R&D trends in the covered sectors.
Consistent categorization aligns with OECD standards to enhance the comparability of data.
The split of the government sector into two provides insights specific to South Africa's context.

Abstract

This Statistical Report presents data tables from the 2020/21 South African National Survey of Research and Experimental Development (R government research institutions and museums. The higher education sector, comprising all public and private higher education institutions with an R&D component. The not-for-profit sector, comprising non-governmental and other organisations formally registered as not-for-profit institutions. The science council sector, comprising the seven science councils established through Acts of Parliament. This approach is followed to maintain consistency with the institutional sector categorisation recommended by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in The Measurement of Scientific and Technological Activities: Proposed Standard Practice for Surveys on Research and Experimental Development, known as the Frascati Manual (OECD, 2015). The split of government into two sectors - a government sector and a science council sector - is an adjustment for the South African situation.

Read Full Paperexternally

Mark Helpful

Bookmark

Relay

View Full Paper