The Ministry of Technical and Higher Education (MTHE), Sierra Leone Research and Education Network (SLREN), and the West and Central African Research and Education Network (WACREN) have, in a symposium, partnered with key stakeholders of science, research and innovation to discuss a national approach to open science in Sierra Leone.
The symposium, which was funded by the UK Foreign Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO), aims to foster an environment conducive for the adoption of science practices across Sierra Leone’s research community by making open science an integral part of the national agenda.
In her opening address, the Minister of Technical and Higher Education, Dr. Haja Ramatulai Wurie, expressed her gratitude to the organizers of the symposium for creating such platform through which they can shape their vision for building a resilient national open science infrastructure in Sierra Leone.
She pointed out that open science is not just an abstract concept, but also a force of change that can elevate Sierra Leone’s academic research capabilities, foster innovation and drive sustainable development.
She urged members to create an enabling policy environment on open science and prioritize openness, collaboration and equitable access to knowledge.
According to her, to create an enabling policy environment, there is need to have a deep understanding of our strengths and weaknesses as well as equip our institutions with the right infrastructure to support open data sharing, transparent research practices, and inclusive collaboration.
“If we foster this culture of openness and collaboration, this would empower individuals to contribute to global knowledge, while addressing global challenges,” she said.
She encouraged stakeholders to acknowledge the crucial role of digital libraries, as such repositories of knowledge form an integral part of open science as well as serve as gateways for open access to publications, data sense and educational resources.
“Digital libraries expand our research impacts by offering a centralized platform that researchers, students and/or educators can tap into to access a wealth of information,” She said.
She entreated the participants to consider the following essential components during the course of their deliberations:
i. Inclusive collaboration
ii. Translation of research evidence into policy and practice
iii. Open data publications to enhance global research visibility
iv. Open educational resources to ensure that education is accessible and ensures equal learning opportunities for all
v. Ethical consideration
She noted that though there is room for improvement, a lot has been done already in changing the research landscape in Sierra Leone. “We have made commendable strides in research, and we must capitalize on these achievements,” she mentioned, encouraging members to be intentional with their collaboration both at inter and intra level.
The Deputy Minister of Communications, Technology and Innovation, Ibrahim Sannoh, expressed delight in being part of the symposium, urging members present to work collectively with a view to leaving legacies in terms of ICT development, digitization, and global competitive benchmarks for the future generations to be able to compete with the prevailing job market internationally.
“The overarching objective of our Ministry is to create the enabling environment in Sierra Leone to accelerate digitization,” he said.
Key resolutions that the participants agreed on at the end of the symposium are as follows:
i) That the Minister of Technical and Higher Education (MTHE) take the lead in an inter-ministerial discussion to promote and express a strong commitment to open science principles for research, innovation and societal progress in Sierra Leone. The participants recommended the formation of a taskforce comprised of experts from various relevant fields to establish this commitment in the form of a national open science policy.
ii)That the Sierra Leone Research & Education Network (SLREN) take the lead, leveraging its higher education and research communities to support the establishment and maintenance of open science infrastructures.
