INASP the Quiet Achiever, Facilitates Access to Web of Science® for
Researchers in Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda
Philadelphia, PA, USA-London, UK - June 17, 2005 - The staff
working on the Programme for the Enhancement of Research Information, a programme
of INASP (the International Network for the Availability of Scientific Publications)
face one of the most challenging tasks in the information industry today. Their
job is to maximise the opportunities for researchers in developing countries
by providing access to world-class information resources. The agreement giving
Uganda, Rwanda and Tanzania access to Web of Science® is the latest
in an impressive list of success stories for INASP, but they prefer to keep
out of the spotlight.
INASP was established in 1992 by the International Council for Science (ICSU)
to improve access to information and knowledge through a commitment to capacity
building in emerging and developing countries.
This small organisation manages a network of around 3,000+ partners comprised
of individuals, groups and organisations from across the globe, all brought
together behind a common goal, to find ways to support research progress in
developing countries.
A Mountain to Climb
“The partnerships are diverse and the challenges immense,”
says Sarah Durrant, Senior Programme Manager. “Colleagues in-country often
struggle with a lack of basic infrastructure such as workstations and crucially,
bandwidth. Since these are the world’s poorest countries, there is also
often a lack of money with which to invest in resources and training, and sometimes
a lack of political will at government level to support libraries, tertiary
learning and research. It is only relatively recently that governments have
started to fully appreciate the fundamental connection between knowledge and
development. INASP is committed to supporting colleagues in less-developed countries
as they enhance local, national and regional knowledge and capacity for sustainable
development.”
Quiet Achievers
Despite the many challenges, researchers and librarians in developing
countries have been able to achieve some notable successes. Researchers within
Makarere University (a leading institute in Uganda) and institutes in Malawi,
have used improved access to information resources to help lobby for improved
bandwidth and ICT equipment for their libraries. Colleagues within institutes
in several countries (Kenya, Zimbabwe, Malawi to name 3) who previously had
very little or no budget for information resources, have used programs like
PERI to prove to their Vice Chancellors and other policy-makers that electronic
information resources are relevant, available and (due to discounts from publishers)
affordable. Budgets in such countries are small by Western standards but in
an encouraging number of cases are improving. Moreover, institutes are increasingly
forming themselves into consortia to help budgets go further.
Changing People’s Lives
Almost all modern research is highly collaborative and programs like
PERI (as well as HINARI, AGORA, eIFL), connect researchers in developing countries
to the wider international research community, decreasing their sense of isolation
and enhancing their own research endeavors.
“Researchers in developing countries have a great deal to gain from,
and to offer to, their counterparts in the West,” explained Sarah. “Programmes
such as PERI, HINARI, AGORA and eIFL help researchers maximise these opportunities.
A failure to invest in research will hinder knowledge growth within these countries
and that will have a negative impact in critical areas such as prevention of
disease, food production, sanitation, water, environment, transport, communications
etc”.
Increased knowledge and learning within developing countries increases local
capacities and has the potential to reduce local dependency upon the advances
made in richer countries that are typically very expensive to acquire. A stronger
knowledge base prevents the economic advantage from patents, applications and
useful results being lost to richer, more developed countries.
Kofi Annan has spoken of how "the unbalanced distribution of scientific
activity generates serious problems not only for the scientific community in
the developing countries, but for development itself. It accelerates the disparity
between advanced and developing countries, creating social and economic difficulties
at both national and international levels.” (Kofi Annan, A Challenge to
the World's Scientists, Science 2003 March 7; 299: 1485)
INASP’s latest success
“Web of Science® and Journal Citation Reports®
are sophisticated and extremely useful tools for researchers and information
professionals. The fact that these tools are now available on a country-wide
basis means colleagues in several developing countries can better inform, gauge
and plan their research,” said Sarah.
“This is an important agreement for Thomson Scientific,” said
Keith MacGregor Executive Vice President, Academic and Government markets, Thomson
Scientific. “You cannot underestimate the role of quality research tools
such as the Web of Science in helping researchers in developing countries
to connect with — and contribute to — international research efforts.”
“We hope to work with INASP to make our information solutions available
in more countries in Africa and other parts of the world,” added Keith.
About INASP
The mission of INASP (the International Network for the Availability
of Scientific Publications) is to enable worldwide access to information and
knowledge with particular emphasis on the needs of developing and transitional
countries. Established by the International Council for Science in 1992, INASP
is a charity that works with partners and networks around the world to encourage
the creation and production of information, to promote sustainable and equitable
access to information, to foster collaboration and networking and to strengthen
local capacities to manage and use information and knowledge. For more information,
please visit http://www.inasp.info/.
