As part of the build-up to Africa’s biggest library event, the 6th AfLIA Conference and 8th African Library Summit, you are invited to an online pre-conference workshop focused on Research Data Management (RDM) for African Librarians. This workshop is jointly organized by AfLIA, in partnership with Figshare and Africa PID Alliance as a strategic initiative to build the skills and confidence of African library professionals in supporting research data services.

This session builds on the success of the Open Data Management Foundational Course for African Librarians – 1st Cohort, organized in October 2024, and continues efforts to empower librarians across the continent with practical knowledge and tools to support open science and data stewardship.

By the end of the session, participants will have:

1. A stronger understanding of open data principles and the relevance of data management in the African context
2. Improved knowledge of FAIR data practices and how to support them
3. Increased familiarity with data repositories and how to promote them
4. Practical skills to help their research communities manage and share data more effectively
5. Opportunities to network and exchange experiences with fellow librarians across Africa

8:00 GMT | 9:00 WAT | 10:00 CAT/SAST | 11:00 EAT | 09:00–11:00 UK

While the workshop is specially designed for professionals working in academic and research libraries, all librarians and information professionals interested in research data management are warmly welcome.

Participation is open to both registered attendees of the 6th AfLIA Conference and others not attending the conference. This is your opportunity to experience the high-quality knowledge exchange, collaboration, and innovation that AfLIA events are known for.

Maria Cotera, Research Workflow Solutions Manager – EMEA, Digital Science, London, United Kingdom.

Maria supports open science and responsible and impactful research by developing strategic relationships which bring academic research workflow solutions (Figshare data and institutional repositories and Symplectic Elements CRIS) to universities across the entire EMEA region, including Africa, the Middle East, Europe and the UK. A former academic librarian, Maria has been active within IFLA: the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions, the global voice for librarians and library users, for over twenty years. She currently serves on the SCORE standing committee, the scholarly communications section of IFLA.

Joy Owango, Executive Director, Training Centre in Communication (TCC Africa),  and  Project Lead Africa PID Alliance

Joy is the Founding Director of the Training Centre in Communication (TCC Africa), an award winning Trust registered in Kenya set up in 2006 and is the first African-based training centre to teach effective communication skills to scientists. TCC Africa is in partnership  and  housed at  the University of Nairobi, Kenya and provides capacity support in improving African researchers output and visibility in scholarly and science communication. The latest TCC Africa project is The Africa PID Alliance, an Open Infrastructure activity whose mission is to secure the future of African Innovation, Indigenous Knowledge and Cultural Heritage from PIDs. She  currently sits on the Steering Committee of the Research Organization Registry and the  International Science Council Steering Group on the Project on the future of scientific publishing.

Nabil Ksibi, Consultant for Engagement at ORCID & Africa PID Alliance Project Co-Lead.

At ORCID, Nabil leads strategies to strengthen global participation, grow membership, and build strategic partnerships. He is also the Founding Consultant and Coordinator of the Northern African Research and Innovation Management Association (NARIMA), a platform promoting best practices in research and innovation management across North Africa. As Co-Founder of the Africa PID Alliance, Nabil champions digital preservation through initiatives like the DOCiD™ framework, focusing on indigenous knowledge and cultural heritage. His commitment to open science is further reflected in his advisory roles with TCC Africa, AfricArXiv, and FAIR Points.

Dr Mark Hahnel, VP Open Research, Digital Science, London, United Kingdom.

Dr Mark Hahnel is the founder of Figshare, which he created whilst completing his PhD in stem cell biology at Imperial College London. Figshare repository provides research data infrastructure for institutions, publishers and funders globally. He is passionate about open science and the potential it has to revolutionise the research community.

Mary Farrell, Client Success, Global Lead, Ireland

Mary is an experienced professional in libraries, information management and publishing with a keen interest in open access research and sustainability. With over 15 years experience, Mary has supported library and researcher teams with maximising use of their repository and journal submission workflows.  As Client Success, Global Lead at Figshare, Mary oversees and manages the client relationship from initial onboarding through to ongoing support, training and engagement; ensuring each repository is utilised to its full potential.