The Committee undertook an international visit, from 21 to 30 July 2012, to Brussels, Belgium and Sofia, Bulgaria. During the 2012/13 and 2013/14 financial years, in addition to the regular briefings on work undertaken by the Department and its entities, the Committee conducted five oversight visits. The first, from 4 to 5 September 2012, comprised visits to the iThemba Laboratory for Accelerator-Based Sciences (iThemba LABS), the low-cost housing project in Kleinmond and the South African National Space Agency's Space Science Directorate. The second, from 9 to 10 October 2012, the Committee attended the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research's biennial conference, Science Real & Relevant in Pretoria. The third, on 16 April 2013, comprised a visit to the South African Astronomical Observatory, which also hosts the International Astronomical Union's Office of Astronomy for Development. The fourth, from 20 to 21 July 2013, the Committee attended the Science, Technology and Innovation Summit in Limpopo. The fifth, from 22 to 25 July 2013, comprised visits to the Cofimvaba Schools District Technology Project, the University of Fort Hare, the South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity, Rhodes University, the Uitenhage Science Centre and the KwaNobuhle Essential Oils Project.