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, objects
Connections producing data at unprecedented rates,
Actively and passively.
RESULT: Large data volumes
Distinctive 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 strategy
for research data which builds on a
continuous dialogue between key research
and academic institutions and government
through MTERST for the purpose of
creating consensus on policies, legal
frameworks, governance institutions and
strategies required to enable Botswana to
take full advantage of the global trends in
data-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.

CURRENT TREND AND POLICY LANDSCAPE
IN BOTSWANA
• 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.

CURRENT TREND AND POLICY LANDSCAPE IN BOTSWANA
• 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.
CURRENT TREND AND POLICY LANDSCAPE IN BOTSWANA

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.

A framework for a National Research Data Strategy
 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

A framework for a National Research Data Strategy
 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 and
circulate it to Universities and the Permanent
Secretary MTERST, cooperating partners at
CODATA, RDA, African Open Science Forum and
South African Science Forum.
Second Priority action: Continue meetings
with research leaders in Botswana.
Seek approval and authorization for the first
National Data Forum.

PRIORITY AREAS AND ACTIONS
Third Priority Action: Hold the actual NDS consultative
workshop to begin to generate content for the NDS for
Botswana.
Fourth Priority Action: To complete the consultative
and engagement programme to ensure that the NRDSB
has full support from stakeholders.
Fifth Priority Action: To implement the NRDSB
specifically in relation to the priority research areas
discussed above.

THANK YOU
Molotsi.jointmindsconsult@gmail.com

White paper for an Open Research Data Strategy in Botswana

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