Toward Implementation of the UNESCO Recommendation on Open Science in Eastern Africa - Online Stakeholders Meeting

UNESCO's Recommendation on Open Science, adopted in November 2021, provides a global framework for Open Science principles and standards. In parallel, an analysis was conducted in Eastern Africa, covering 15 countries, to assess the status of Open Science in the region.  

The study identified significant challenges in the adoption of Open Science practices across Eastern Africa, including insufficient financial support, limited ICT infrastructure investment, lack of supportive policies, low research maturity, inadequate technical expertise, limited advocacy, and skepticism about Open Science. 

To address these challenges, policy and strategy recommendations have been proposed, including directing adequate financial resources to Open Science infrastructure, providing ICT infrastructure support, formulating unified policies mandating Open Science practices, increasing training opportunities, enhancing advocacy efforts, and establishing enabling legal frameworks. 

To expedite the implementation of the Open Science Recommendation, UNESCO, with support from EASTECO and the African Academy of Sciences, will host an Open Science Stakeholders meeting on October 5, 2023. This meeting aims to validate the study's findings, improve the draft of the "Eastern Africa Strategy for the Implementation of the UNESCO Recommendation on Open Science," and promote the exchange of ideas and best practices in Open Science policies.