white paper for an open research data strategy in botswana

Participating in the Global Open Science/Open Data Space:

Towards a Botswana National Data Forum and Strategy

-A white paper-

African Open Science Platform :Side Event for Science Forum South Africa 7 December, 2016

Pretoria, South Africa

By Patrick Molutsi (PhD)Country Managing Partner

BOTSWANA

Our World is networked: people, objectsConnections producing data at unprecedented rates,Actively and passively.RESULT: Large data volumesDistinctive data streams … termed “big data” (Science International)

REALITY TODAY AND THE FUTURE AHEAD

Overview

Contextual background

Vision of the white paper

Rationale for Open Science

Current trends and Policy landscape in Botswana

Areas of excellence and opportunity in Open Science and

Open Data

Realizing the Vision

A framework for a National Research Data Strategy

Priority Areas and Actions

CONTEXTUAL BACKGROUND

• Joint Minds Consult (JMC) is a think tank: Research,

Knowledge Development and Management, Training and

Student Support

• Research co-ordination and advocacy for research based

policy and decision making in Africa.

• JMC is a regional organization based in Gaborone, Botswana

• A member of the Research Data Alliance.

• Endorser of the Science International Accord on Open

Science /Data Open (OSOD)

CONTEXTUAL BACKGROUND CONT’D

Joint Minds Consult (JMC) ‘s interest in Research, Knowledge Development

and Management.

International links with Research Data Alliance (RDA) and Committee on

Data for Science and Technology (CODATA).

Invited RDA and CODATA top leadership to Botswana to conduct a series of

seminars on Open Science and Open Data Between 7 – 11 October

2016

Joint Minds Consult held a press conference to announce this important

development.

JMC then facilitated the seminars on Open Science/Open Data.

UB, BIUST, BITRI, Private Universities, MTERST

BOTSWANA’S SOCIAL CAPITAL, RESEARCH & DATA INFRASTRUCTURE

Botswana poor at Independence 1966, Now a Middle

income country with per capital income of +5000 US $ per year.

Strong social capital and institutional infrastructure for

sustainable development

Key drivers for national transformation and advancement

Relevant policies, legal framework, comprehensive national

strategies + Social capital and institutional infrastructure


Challenges in society exist:

For example; HIV AIDS (25% of the

population), Unemployment among the youth

and women, persistent poverty, limited

economic diversification from the dominant

mineral sector, food insecurity, water and

energy, climate change.


Need for systematic and sustained research - to produce data

for analysis to arrive at data driven solutions

Performance improvement anchored in national development

premised on data informed policies and efficient decision making

processes

Currently, fragmentation and lack of intra and inter-

institutional interaction that require data and information sharing

practice.

Collaboration and partnerships on data and information

sharing for dev in Botswana hardly happen

VISION OF THE WHITE PAPER

To develop a coordinated national strategyfor research data which builds on acontinuous dialogue between key researchand academic institutions and governmentthrough MTERST for the purpose ofcreating consensus on policies, legalframeworks, governance institutions andstrategies required to enable Botswana totake full advantage of the global trends indata-driven Open Science.

RATIONALE FOR OPEN SCIENCE FOR BOTSWANA

Fully utilized data could make a significant

contribution to Botswana’s economic and

innovation goals.

The value of data is in its use

Make fragmented data readily available and

fully utilised by all parties in Botswana

Scientific partnerships with other countries

would happen if we sign up to Open Data

`

RATIONALE FOR OPEN SCIENCE FOR BOTSWANA

` Botswana can learn about developing legal

frameworks, institutional requirements and processes

for OSOD from Open governments

Global commitment to open data is too strong to resist

(See consortium in SI).

OSOD emphasizes the value of rational societies

Policy making and government: Scientifically informed

and evidence based.

RATIONALE FOR OPEN SCIENCE

OSOD is a call for action that engages government, research institutions, individual researchers and civil society.

“Researchers and innovators are openly sharing data across technologies, and countries to address the grand challenges of society” (RDA, Website, 2016).

: “Unless national science systems support and enable their communities to achieve re-defined standards of reproducibility, the work done by their scientists will fall far short of acceptable international standards” (RDA, website, 2016)

OSOD brings with it huge time sensitive opportunities and benefits; The following examples are critical:

RATIONALE FOR OPEN SCIENCE OPEN DATA

CODATA is coordinating an African Open Science Platform initiative

An Open Science and Innovation platform will be sustainable at

country level with the following in place.

The physical infrastructure ;-

- acquiring, curating and disseminating data and information

Protocols, policies and procedures in the science system

Training for skills development on the use of data

This will provide the structure and support to ensure that science

objectives are achieved.

CURRENT TREND AND POLICY LANDSCAPE IN BOTSWANA

• Botswana’s data like other countries’ are closed, fragmented and highly underutilized by government, institutions and researchers.

• The system of open government is at rudimentary stages.

• The level of readiness by government to open data systems is very low.


• In 2013, with the help of the World Bank, Botswana undertook a

readiness assessment for open data/open government.

• The assessment focused on leadership, policy/legal framework,

institutional preparedness, data within government, demand for data,

open data ecosystem, financing, technology and skills infrastructure and

key datasets.

• Researchers used colour codes to indicate level of readiness by examining

evidence or lack of evidence to assess readiness:

• Green = clear evidence, Yellow = evidence not clear, Grey = insufficient

evidence and Red = No evidence to assess.


• The conclusion was that Botswana was not ready.

• Yellow was prominent, while there were incidences of Red on two key measures. (World Bank Group Botswana Open Data

Readiness Assessment Report, 2014)

Like in other African countries, leading research institutions in

Botswana – universities and colleges and even industry and

non governmental sectors are keeping fragmented,

underutilized and inaccessible datasets of varying quality and

national and international relevance.

Research collaboration and data sharing initiatives are almost

alien to institutional operations.

Even within institutions: cooperation and collaboration across disciplines is low.

The research community is weak and fragmented by

disciplines. The silo culture is strong!

No clear policies and advocacy strategy to promote

open data currently exist in the country.

Hence the white paper by research leaders in Botswana

to get the country together to formulate a strategy on

Open Science/ Open Data.


AREAS OF EXCELLENCE AND OPPORTUNITY IN OPEN SCIENCE AND OPEN DATA

Botswana has areas of excellence of global standards

• Water and hydrological studies;• Environment and conservation in fragile

ecosystems i.e. the Okavango Swamps;• Indigenous knowledge;• Computing and Security• Clean Energy/alternative energy resources,• Mining and geo-technical areas and livestock

diseases - (BVI)

REALIZING THE VISION

STEPS BEING TAKEN [October, 2016 May 2017]

Advocacy and awareness raising seminars

Agreement by stakeholders from UB, BIUST, MTERST,

Private Universities for a coordinated course of action

Development of a 1st draft white paper for circulation

to a wider stakeholder community in Botswana.

Receive feedback for incorporation in 2nd draft


Start planning for national dialogue – national data

Forum.

Present paper at African Open Science Forum side

event for Science Forum South Africa.

Circulate white paper for further input in Botswana.

Revise whitepaper and develop final paper for formal

circulation and discussion.


Send invitation to stakeholders for national

dialogue at a National Data Forum.

Hold National Data Forum and launch paper to

promote dialogue.

Plan for a national Data Strategy Consultative

workshop.


Leading experts in research in key institutions to provide

leadership

Build on the 2013 Botswana Innovation Hub 2013

Assessment on Open Data

Gain government support through MTERST

Hold national data Forum to generate and sustain debate on

open data

Develop data policies at national and institutional levels

Develop roadmap for infrastructure development


Manage training and skills development

Manage institutional structures in research institutions

Develop data management policies and procedures; codes of

conduct relating to issues of IP, personal and sensitive data

etc

Civic engagement – carry population along.

Develop and maintain strong links and agreement with African

Open Science Platform, CODATA and RDA.

PRIORITY AREAS AND ACTIONS

First Priority Action: Finalise white paper andcirculate it to Universities and the PermanentSecretary MTERST, cooperating partners atCODATA, RDA, African Open Science Forum andSouth African Science Forum.

Second Priority action: Continue meetingswith research leaders in Botswana.Seek approval and authorization for the firstNational Data Forum.

PRIORITY AREAS AND ACTIONS

Third Priority Action: Hold the actual NDS consultativeworkshop to begin to generate content for the NDS forBotswana.

Fourth Priority Action: To complete the consultativeand engagement programme to ensure that the NRDSBhas full support from stakeholders.

Fifth Priority Action: To implement the NRDSBspecifically in relation to the priority research areasdiscussed above.

THANK YOU

[email protected]

white paper for an open research data strategy in botswana

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