Results follow up, EIFL 2017
“Open access: knowledge sharing and sustainable scholarly communication in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda” educates researchers and students about changing scientific knowledge communication landscapes. The project also advocates for the adoption of Open Access policies and mandates by research funding agencies, universities and research organisations.
Project pageImplementing Open Access Policies
The project is implemented in partnership with EIFL partner consortia: Kenya Library & Information Services Consortium (KLISC), Consortium of Tanzania Universities and Research Libraries (COTUL) and Consortium of Uganda University Libraries (CUUL).
“Open access: knowledge sharing and sustainable scholarly communication in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda” educates researchers and students about changing scientific knowledge communication landscapes. The project also advocates for the adoption of Open Access policies and mandates by research funding agencies, universities and research organisations.
Advocating for the free online availability of research literature – Open Access – is a powerful solution to the barriers that researchers face trying to access and share critical research that can improve people’s lives.
In 2016, EIFL engaged with the following universities (below) and a baseline of how many had Open Access repositories was carried out. There is a significant growth in terms of knowledge and material being made available by the universities. Some universities were already using Open Access and others may also be doing so but have not actively promoted this service or taken an inventory of what material is available. Many universities in the region are in the process of developing Open Access policies which will likely create the necessary environment for the Open Access repositories to thrive.
This baseline and subsequent improvement in Open Acess publications shows us the importance of advocacy for a particular service. The research will now seek to understand the impacts of the establishment of institutional Open Access policies in East African universities through interviews, observations and focus group discussions. The table below shows the universities that have engaged with Open Access and the growth since EIFL’s advocacy drive. The list does not include the numerous universities in the region where Open Access discussions are ongoing but policies have yet to be adopted.
Progress made in 2016
This is an overview over the progress made in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda in 2016
Universities
Open Access publications
Universities in Kenya
Catholic University of Eastern Africa
Baseline Open Acces publications: 254
OA publications as of January 2017: 574
Egerton University
Baseline Open Acces publications : 477
OA publications as of January 2017: 592
Kabarak University
Baseline Open Access publications : 300
OA publications as of January 2017: 1268
Moi University
Baseline Open Access publications : 912
OA publications as of January 2017: 961
Dedan Kimathi University of Technology
OA publications as of January 2017: 344
No baseline recorded
Karatina University
OA publications as of January 2017: 200
No baseline recorded
Kenyatta University
OA publications as of January 2017: 13 272
No baseline recorded
Management University of Africa
OA publications as of January 2017: 853
No baseline recorded
Masidine Muliro University of Science and Technology
OA publications as of January 2017: 295
No baseline recorded
Strathmore University
OA publications as of January 2017: 1 784
No baseline recorded
University of Nairobi
OA publications as of January 2017: 81 844
No baseline recorded
University of Embu
OA publications as of January 2017: 1 551
No baseline recorded
Kirinyaga University College
OA publications as of January 2017: 109
No baseline recorded
United States International University - Africa
Baseline Open Access publications : 478
OA publications as of January 2017: 2 966
Universities
Open Access publications
Universities in Tanzania
University of Dar es Salaam
Baseline Open Access publications: 1 858
OA publications as of January 2017: 4 341
Catholic University of Health and Allied Sciences
Baseline Open Access publications: 132
OA publications as of January 2017: 145
State University of Zanzibar
OA publications as of January 2017: 1 268
No baseline recorded
Open University of Tanzania
OA publications as of January 2017: 1 562
No baseline recorded
Ifakara Health Institute
OA publications as of January 2017: 3 111
No baseline recorded
Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Services (MUHAS)
OA publications as of January 2017: 1 685
No baseline recorded
Mzumbe University
OA publications as of January 2017: 1 610
No baseline recorded
Sokoine University of Agriculture
OA publications as of January 2017: 1 056
No baseline recorded
Tanzania Commission for AIDS
OA publications as of January 2017: 88
No baseline recorded
Tanzania Climate Change Information Repository
OA publications as of January 2017: 461
No baseline recorded
Universities
Open Access publications
Universities in Uganda
Makerere University
OA publications as of January 2017: 461
No baseline recorded
Uganda Christian University
OA publications as of January 2017: 13
No baseline recorded
Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture
OA publications as of January 2017: 1 762
No baseline recorded