DATAD WORKSHOP In collaboration With Kenyatta University

Nairobi 11 – 12 July 2007

The Database of African Theses and Dissertations (DATAD)Pascal Hoba (DR) Head of Communication and Services

Association of African Universities And DATAD Program Coordinator

phoba@aau.org

About The Association of African Universities (AAU)

Founded: 1967 with 34 founding universities

Current membership:2OO institutions from 47 African countries

http://www.aau.org

AAU Objectives

Promote cooperation and coordination among African HEIs by providing resources and running programs that build on the synergy of collective action by its members

Collection, organization and dissemination of information on higher education and research in Africa

Advocacy and support for member institutions’ programs

Quality assurance and harmonization of diploma…

AAU’s programs and activities

Developing Quality Assurance Systems in African Universities African Universities Responding to HIV/AIDS Ford Foundation International Fellowships Program (IFP) Research Education Networking Initiative (RENU) Leadership Development Staff Exchange Study Program on Higher Education Management in Africa Working Group on Higher Education Publication and Information Dissemination Roster of African Professionals (ROAP) AAU and AU Partnership Database of African Theses and Dissertations (DATAD) has

been integrated into the AAU strategic plan: Improving management and access to African scholarly work.

About The DATAD Project

Initiated at a planning meeting organized in Nairobi, Jan. 1998

The meeting acknowledged the centrality of AAU in coordinating and providing leadership to the proposed initiative

About the DATAD Project cont…

Feasibility Study done 1998/99; Report approved by AAU COREVIP in 1999

Three-year pilot phase, involving eleven institutions, started in February 2000, concluded 2003

DATAD Objectives

Contribute to the creation of an environment conducive to research and publication in Africa

Create capacity in African universities for the collection, management and dissemination of theses and dissertations electronically

DATAD Objectivescont…

Provide visibility and improved access to the work of African scholars, both within and outside of the continent;

Facilitate the development of copyright procedures and regulations for the protection of the intellectual property rights of African university graduates and researchers

Provide support for other AAU programs

Implementation

Considerations for selection of pioneersregional and linguistic balancebasic ICT infrastructureleadership commitmentgraduate program

Implementation cont…

Factors for determination of modelFeasibility study findings general ICT infrastructure environment working models

Adopted: Mixed model (Centralized, decentralized)

Implementation cont…

Management and administrationAdvisory CommitteeDATAD management teams at institutional

levelGraduate School, Computing Center, Library,

Graduate Students, FacultyRegional coordination at AAU Secretariat

Record content

Factors: development of a research resource to facilitate dissemination of research findingsnetworking of researchers: students,

lecturers, others bibliometric studies

Record fields

Author, Title, Degree, Year, Supervisor(s)

University (faculty/dept, town, country)Availability statement, Location (of e-

copy if available), Call number, Copyright

Abstract, Keywords

Lessons learned

Financial and technical support is essential The need of DATAD model Quality control: necessary Full text access: critical Preservation and archiving: need more

attention Sustainability is possible but need to be

properly done Taking account of the situation of the

universities

Challenges

Management of copyright and intellectual property: Higher level of advocacy

Development of a viable sustainability with strong partnersExpansion model, Preservation, Full

text access, Link to others Thesis Network, ETDs…

Actual Challenges cont…

New institutions and pioneersSoftware (for full text)Dissemination (with ACBF input)To learn from each other through

Workshops and Meetings

Curent situations of Thesis in African Universities…

Thesis in only in hard copiesThesis in sotf copiesThesis on serversThesis online

DATAD Pratical approach?

Which Platform?Abstract Full text when availableLinking with others Networks of Thesis

Conclusion?

DATAD - ETD initiatives and national repositories

Non DATAD institutions can contribute meta-data to the DATAD database

Integrate DATAD activities into AAU (as institution) plan and budget

Exposing the research output of African HEIs to the wider research community …

Thank you………

Thank you.