In a bid to produce holistic graduates and nurture staff who contribute to industrialisation and mordernisation of the economy through a research and innovation culture, Midlands State University Library conducted an Open Access workshop on the 24th of October 2023 at MSU Gweru Main Campus.
In her remarks, Pro-Vice Chancellor-Research, Innovation and Industrialisation, Professor Grace Mugumbate gave a brief summary of open access stating that the ceremony will explore and serve as a catalyst for advancing scholary communication by breaking down barriers to knowledge.
Whilst giving her welcome remarks, University Librarian, Ms. Chibanda familiarized attendants with the theme of the event, ‘‘Community over Commercialisation,’’ and stated that the workshop is designed to support research activities, offer training in academic services and tools as well as inspire and inform MSU researchers, scholars to find Open Access journals and conduct ethical research practices.
Ms. Chibanda went on further to introduce virtual attendant, Project Coordinator for the EIFL Open Access Programme, Librarian at the Institute of Technical Sciences of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts and a member of the University of Belgrade Computer Centre in Serbia, Ms. Milica Sevkusic.
Ms. Milica Sevkusic provided a comprehensive presentation on the essential ethical considerations for researchers to keep in mind when conducting their studies, emphasizing the importance of avoiding false interpretations and misrepresentations of data to ensure the integrity of their findings.
In his presentation on, ‘Open Access Basics,’ the Deputy Executive Director-MSU Research and Innovation Division, Professor Upenyu Guyo, listed and defined the different types of open access models and stated the benefits to the author and institution.
During the dialogue session, the Executive Dean in the Faculty of Agriculture, Environment and Natural Resources Management, Dr. Tavagwisa Muziri, highlighted that publishing in open access journals allows researchers to reach a wider audience as it offers immediate, unrestricted and free global access to research.
In his vote of thanks, the Deputy Librarian-Scholarly Communications, Research, Innovation, and Digital Services, Mr. Ephraim Makeke expressed his gratitude to all those who attended and participated in the Open Access Programme, which fostered lively discussions on the importance of making research results freely available online.
This blended workshop was attended by MSU Pro-Vice Chancellor-Research, Innovation and Industrialisation, Professor Grace Mugumbate, Assistant to the Vice Chancellor Professor Hazel Ngoshi, MSU Librarian, Ms. Nyarai Patience Chibanda, Deputy Executive Director-MSU Research and Innovation Division, Professor Upenyu Guyo, Principal Assistant to the Registrar-Human Capital Development, Mr. Edward Chinongwa, staff members and students.
Midlands State University (MSU) is deeply committed to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 4: Quality Education, by removing any legal, technical, or financial barriers that might prevent individuals from accessing, reading, and reusing research articles.