Empowering African Research Through Open Access Initiatives
Explore the challenges and opportunities facing African research in the digital age, highlighting the need for enhanced infrastructure, legal frameworks, and content accessibility. Discover the potential of open access to increase visibility of African scholarship and bridge the digital divide.
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Presentation Transcript
International Open Access Week Open Access4D: Battle not won By Dr. Muthoni Masinde Tuesday, June 3, 2025
Key Instruments Infrastructure Legal framework Content African Research in Digital spaces
Africas Realities The trend is still: transferring of Northern designs to Southern realities While 41% of the world s household have access to the Internet, Africa is lagging far behind at 9%. Africa has abysmal penetration rate for landline telephone, the number of fixed- broadband subscriptions
Africas Realities Internet has increased the digital divide.... Africa is slow to take up technological innovation as most have to be imported from elsewhere.. Liam (2009) The emergence of Africa will ultimately be measured by its ability to sustain itself,....to create, store and disseminate its own knowledge and technology.
Africas Realities Africa has always produced for export:... .the whole economic activity is determined by external needs and basically consists in the production and exportation of raw material needed by industrial countries Academic activity has also pursued this extraversion, producing knowledge that is published elsewhere consumption; result -> publications not accessible in continent for international
Africas Realities Limited circulation Circle of limited accessibility Fewer authors and subscriptions Poor visibility and readership Limited recognition Fewer citations 7
Future Prospects Infrastructure SEACOM cable FIFA World Cup , 2010 Mobile technology Content SARUA AAU... UNECA (United Nations Economic Commission for Africa)...
Potential of Open access to Africa Visibility of African scholarship Opportunity to shape digital knowledge space through contribution---not mere consumers of digital content Expanding intellectual and knowledge development sphere Digital repositories expanding African ways of learning, teaching & research
Potential of Open access to Africa Open access More authors Increased visibility Circle of accessibility and other benefits Larger readership Wider recognition Increased citations 11
Thank you 12
