The symposium was opened by Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Derek Hanekom, and DG of the department Dr Phil Mjwara, who outlined the aims of the new Technology Innovation Agency.

The AMTS is hosted by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research and implements the strategy currently directed towards the technology needs identified by the automotive and aerospace industries. This relies on dynamic collaboration between industry, academia and science councils.

The building and continuation of smart partnerships between project participants and the broader industry network is of the utmost importance in ensuring the development and uptake of South African technologies in the global arena.

The project participants included the private sector, consisting of both large organisations and small and medium-sized enterprises, State agencies and 13 universities and universities of technology, the AMTS implementation unit acting manager Karen van Breukelen said.

She said the symposium also focused on the flagship programmes of the AMTS, which included lightweight materials, advanced production technologies including mechatronics and robotics, and digital and micromanufacturing, as well as advanced electronics.

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