Assessing the Ecosystem for Open Science Advancement in Tanzania

Authors

  • Paul Muneja University of Dar es Salaam
  • Aneth Bella David University of Dar es Salaam
  • Obadia Shadrack Buhomoli University of Dodoma
  • Mohamed Zahir Alimohamed Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences
  • Grantina Modern Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology

Keywords:

Tanzania, Open Science, Open Science Infrastructure, Open Access, Open Science Practices

Abstract

This study aims to assess the favourable ecosystem for supporting OS in Tanzania and the factors hindering its adoption and implementation. Employing a cross-sectional research design, the study evaluates the enabling environment for Open Science adoption and practices within Tanzania. The study population comprises academicians, researchers, students, librarians, and science communicators. A total of 144 participants took part in the survey, predominantly early career researchers affiliated with both public and private institutions.

The findings underscore that to some extent several institutions within Tanzania provides some kind of support for open science practices. This support manifests through the provision of Institutional Repositories, online journal publishing systems, financial coverage for publishing processing charges, and the establishment of improved mechanisms for researchers to share their publications and data. Nonetheless, the results also highlight several challenges. These include a lack of awareness regarding OS practices, absence of institutional policies, inadequate budget allocation to cover article processing charges (APCs), and the high costs associated with publishing in prestigious Open Access (OA) journals.

Concerted efforts at both national and institutional levels to foster the widespread adoption of OS practices in Tanzania should be put in place. The efforts should focus on enhancing awareness, developing comprehensive policies, allocating adequate budgets to support APCs, and exploring strategies to mitigate the financial barriers associated with publishing in prestigious OA journals. By addressing these challenges proactively, Tanzania can pave the way for a more robust and inclusive research ecosystem aligned with the principles of Open Science.

Author Biographies

Paul Muneja, University of Dar es Salaam

University of Dar es Salaam

Aneth Bella David, University of Dar es Salaam

Aneth is an academic and research scientist at University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM), Tanzania. Her main research and teaching areas are sustainable farming, agricultural biotechnology, and bioinformatics.

In the past, she has investigated microbial biocontrol and biofertilisers products, tri-trophic interactions between soil micro-organisms, plants and insect herbivores, and chemical ecology in farming systems. She is currently investigating sustainable farming practices and products, microbial bioactives and antimicrobial resistance.

Obadia Shadrack Buhomoli, University of Dodoma

Obadia Shadrack Buhomoli is an employee at the University of Dodoma. He obtained a BSc in Informatics at Sokoine University of Agriculture and a Master of Business Administration at the University of Dodoma. He also holds a Master of Information Studies which he acquired from the University of Dar es salaam. He is collaborating with several researchers in Tanzania and abroad who are working on media coverage, open data and open science initiatives. Mr Buhomoli is among the authors of the paper titled: “Media Coverage of Key Economic Sectors using Information and Communication Technology News by Selected Newspapers in Tanzania”. He can be contacted through obadiashadrack16@gmail.com

Mohamed Zahir Alimohamed, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences

 Molecular Biologist by training with a Biotechnology background.
- Clinical molecular geneticist.
- Involved in developing, validating and implementing new genetic diagnostic tests for clinical, commercial and research purposes.
- Diseases investigated include; Cardiomyopathies, SCA and cancer.
- Previously involved with using and optimizing different NGS (Next generation sequencing) platforms to sequence DNA samples processed with TLA (Target Locus Amplification) for patients with all types of Leukemia.
- Previously worked with bacteria (Diabetic foot ulcer studies - Microbiology), Yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae - using fluorescent proteins such as GFP, mCherry in peroxisomal de novo synthesis), Filamentous fungi (Aspergillus niger and Penicillium chrysogenum - Industrial research)

Grantina Modern, Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology

Grantina Modern currently works at the Department of Global Health and Bio-Medical Sciences (GHBM), The Nelson Mandela African Institute of Science and Technology

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Published

2024-12-27

How to Cite

Muneja, P., David, A., Buhomoli, O., Zahir, M., & Modern, G. (2024). Assessing the Ecosystem for Open Science Advancement in Tanzania. Journal of Information Management and Practices, 4(2). Retrieved from https://journals.iub.edu.pk/index.php/jimp/article/view/3058

Issue

Vol. 4 No. 2 (2024): Journal of Information Management and Practices

Section

Articles

License

Copyright (c) 2024 Paul Muneja, Dr. Aneth Bella David, Mr. Obadia Shadrack Buhomoli, Dr. Mohamed Zahir Alimohamed, Ms. Grantina Modern

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Copyright/License

Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in JIMP. JIMP is using (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0), Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International.