Each year, World Intellectual Property Day is observed on April 26 with the aim of raising awareness of how Intellectual Property (IP) and IP rights such as patents, trademarks, copyright, and designs impact our daily lives and encourage innovation and creativity. This initiative was established by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in 2000, and this year’s theme was “Women and IP: Accelerating Innovation and Creativity” to celebrate women who are helping shape the world through their imagination, ingenuity and hard work despite the challenges uniquely faced by women.

On the 23rd May 2023, ahead of its Budget Vote speech at the Good Hope Chambers, the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) held a panel discussion and media broadcast under the theme: “Leveraging opportunities for young innovators in science, technology and innovation”. The Budget vote discussions and exhibitions were held at the Iziko Museum in Cape Town.

Two Stellenbosch University SU) scientists were instrumental in the development of an evolutionary model shedding new light on questions around human origins in Africa.

On the 29th of March 2023, PRICELESS-SA/SAMRC Centre for Health Economics and Decision Science hosted a highly successful South African launch of The Lancet series on commercial determinants of health at the Resource Centre, Wits School of Public Health.

As part of having a well-designed study protocol and participants giving their informed consent, it is critical that participants understand the study and its objectives to generate rigorous, high-quality research. In the PrEPVacc study, which aims at HIV prevention, potential participants experienced difficulties understanding the content in the printed Participant Information Sheet (PIS), which attempts to explain the research study procedures in the local language.