Science advisory role of national science academies

Rising global interest in science advice - The celebration of the Academy of Science of South Africa's (ASSAf's) 20th anniversary presents an opportune time to examine ASSAf's role in the science advisory space in South Africa and to reflect, more generally, on the nature and value of academy advice. Although very young in comparison with other global science academies, some of which are more than 360 years old, ASSAf is fortunate to have benefited from the experience of others and since its inception has had its science advisory role clearly articulated in its statutes. This is not true of many of the older science academies that were founded with the intention of fulfilling a largely honorific role and as such have had to grapple with the transition to a working academy model.