As part of the Value of Collections project, the NSCF is conducting a survey on the broader researcher community perceptions of the value and use of South African natural science collections, and how access to collections and performance is judged
It is hoped that the end result of this focus group survey will enable clearer identification of the broader researcher and user community’s:
- perceived or experienced barriers in relation to access to natural science collections and associated data for use in applied research
- perceptions of natural science collections current performance in serving the needs of stakeholders and applied research, perceived value of natural science collections to the stakeholder community
- recommendations to improving future performance of natural science collections to better serve the needs of stakeholders and applied research
The full survey objectives and rationale can be accessed here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1avwhPj7qKmmEQuzf9os4bPMFxwJNAwgJUv7kuky9pDY/edit?usp=sharing
The results of the survey will be submitted for publication in an accredited, peer reviewed publication. This will serve as a guide to the NSCF (as well as the stakeholder community), on the strategic management of natural science collections in South Africa.
Please share the survey with relevant users of your collections (researchers, visitors, students, collections relevant social media groups and pages): https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Y3576MF
(Participants and their organisations will not be named in subsequent write ups and material submitted for publication. Ethical clearance for survey obtained through the SANBI NZG Animal Research Ethics and Scientific Committee)