In October 2024, an online session aimed at exploring equitable and sustainable open access (OA) for scholarly books in East Africa was co-organized by the Directory of Open Access Books (DOAB), OAPEN, the Open Access Scholarly Publishing Association (OASPA), and French research institutes LAM and IFRA, supported by the National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) in France. The event, held on October 24, 2024, provided valuable insights into OA publishing practices in the region.
The session was divided into two parts. Part 1 featured a series of presentations focused on the impacts, experiences, revenue models, and other facets of OA book publishing. Notable speakers included Bastien Miraucourt (CNRS, France) on African Studies publishing, Judith Fathallah (Coventry University, UK) discussing successful OA book funding models, Andrew Joseph (Wits University Press, South Africa) on integrating digital outputs in African academic publishing, and Jill Claassen (University of Cape Town, South Africa) presenting on the early results of an African institutional publisher's transition to OA.
Part 2 of the event offered a workshop-style discussion, moderated by Juma Joseph Musakali of Moi University, Kenya. This segment allowed for an interactive dialogue among participants, including East African book publishers. Attendees shared their experiences and participated in a lively Q&A session, offering diverse perspectives on the challenges and opportunities in OA publishing within the region.
The co-organizers have released a detailed report on the event, along with a freely available video recording of the four presentations from Part 1. Key takeaways from the discussions, including insights into funding models and strategies for OA adoption, are also shared in the report, which aims to foster greater collaboration and growth in the East African academic publishing landscape.
Click here to read the original press release.
