Open Knowledge Ethiopia members supported AAU on organizing workshop on open Research Data

Addis Ababa University Libraries in collaboration with Electronic Information for Libraries (EIFL) have conducted a full day workshop on “Open research data” on 21, July 2015. The workshop gathered participants Researchers, Librarians, ICT professionals from Addis Ababa University and Consortium of Ethiopian Academic and research libraries.  Zanele Mathe of the Cape Peninsula University of Technology Library, and Matthew Buys, the ORCID Regional Director: Africa & Middle East, both from South Africa, were among the invited speakers. There were also speakers from AAU who are all members of Open Knowledge Ethiopia.

In the workshop, a proposal to implement an open research data project for the AAU was presented. Following the presentation, the participants discussed the importance of making research data openly available, open research data policies, and best practices in data sharing.  Most of the participants agreed that research data should be shared with the exception of personal, confidential and sensitive data. It was also agreed that a new service on research data management (RDM) should be started at AAU. At the end of the workshop, it was also decided that a working group shall be formed consisting of representatives from Research office, Library, ICT office, researchers and research institutes to work on strategy and policy for RDM service at AAU.  Open Knowledge Ethiopia members supported AAU on organizing the workshop, creating awareness on the importance of open data and drafting the proposal to implement open data project.