In a significant development for the research community, Research4Life, the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ), and the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf) have successfully launched a series of French-language webinars aimed at supporting French-speaking researchers across Africa. This initiative responds to the growing need for accessible academic training and resources in French.
The collaboration, which began last year, initially involved webinars in English, Spanish, and Ukrainian, covering a range of topics relevant to researchers and publishers from low-income countries. Building on this success, the new series of webinars, conducted in French for the first time, was tailored specifically for researchers from Benin, Ivory Coast, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Senegal. This expansion into French-speaking regions highlights the commitment to inclusivity and broadening access to vital academic resources.
The first French-language sessions received an enthusiastic response, with over 100 registrations from the targeted countries. The webinars covered a broad spectrum of topics beyond the basic introduction to the DOAJ and its indexing criteria. Participants explored principles of transparency, best practices in scientific publishing, and the challenges of predatory practices and AI tools in the field.
The interactive nature of the webinars allowed participants to engage deeply with the content and seek answers to questions that often extended beyond the scope of the DOAJ. This engagement led to useful feedback, including requests for more specialized training, such as reviewer training on COPE’s transparency principles and modules on the digitization of scientific content.
The success of the French-language webinars underscores the importance of removing language barriers in academic training and highlights the need for continued support and adaptation based on local feedback. The collaboration with librarians from the WHO Regional Office for Africa in Brazzaville proved invaluable in addressing specific queries related to access and regional practices.
The initiative also demonstrated the benefits of working with local networks like CAMES and AJOL, emphasizing the importance of aligning with regional bodies to share good practices effectively. The local approach has strengthened relationships with key stakeholders and opened new opportunities for collaboration between DOAJ, Research4Life, and ASSAf.
Encouraged by the positive outcomes of the French-language webinars, Research4Life plans to extend this training approach to other languages and regions. This expansion aims to further promote the Research4Life program and address the considerable demand for accessible academic resources demonstrated by the high registration numbers.
DOAJ remains committed to supporting French-speaking journals by enhancing their visibility and impact through indexing and collaboration with Research4Life. The ongoing effort to provide content in multiple languages reflects a broader goal of fostering inclusivity and accessibility in academic publishing.
The collaboration between Research4Life, DOAJ, and ASSAf marks a significant step forward in meeting the needs of French-speaking researchers in Africa, fostering greater access to knowledge and supporting the development of the global research community.
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