User:Filippo Morsiani/Open access in Togo

Open Access in Togo includes researchers from Togo publishing articles in international open access journals. For example, in 2013, eight articles have been published with BioMed Central – an STM (Science, Technology and Medicine) publisher which has pioneered the OA publishing model – by researchers from the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Kara, Centre National de Référence des tests VIH-IST/PNLS and Laboratoire BIOLIM, FMMP/UL, Centre de Réflexion et d'Initiative pour la Promotion de la Santé, Faculté Mixte de Médecine et de Pharmacie and Faculté de Sciences et Techniques, University of Lomé, Espoir Vie Togo, National Malaria Control Programme, Togo Ministry of Health, University Hospital TOKOIN, Programme National de lutte Contre le VIH/SIDA-IST.

10 articles have been published in Public Library of Science (PLoS) Open Access journals: PLoS ONE and PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases.

As of June 2015, African Journals Online (AJOL) lists one OA journal: The Journal of Scientific Research of the University of Benin (Togo).

There are currently no OA policies registered in ROARMAP.

Potential Barriers

 * Lack of awareness among researchers, research administrators and policy makers.
 * Poor digital literacy level among researchers and librarians.
 * Lack of ICT facilities (computers, internet) and high internet access fees.

Major Projects/Initiatives
Open access week (24-30 October 2011) was celebrated at the university of Lome. Initiated by EED association (Education, Environment Development) in partnership with the University Library of Lome. The project was aimed at raising awareness of students and researchers about Open Access and Open Access repositories.

Details of Key Organizations
ATULL (Association Togolaise des Utilisateurs de Logiciels Libres): Free and Open Source Software Association, [null atull(at)atull.tg.]

EED association (Education, Environment Development): working for a better education, to rise digital literacy level within the scientific community of Togo and runs Open Access advocacy campaigns,

EED association works in partnerships with CIC/CAFMICRO, University LOME.