To create an open data and open science platform for the continent, Science International will introduce the Africa Open Data Initiative.
This is the word from professor Daya Reddy, president-elect of the International Council for Science, speaking at the Science Forum South Africa (SFSA) in Pretoria, yesterday.
The Africa Open Data Initiative identifies the opportunities and challenges of the data revolution and proposes fundamental responsibilities and principles that should be adopted in responding to them.
According to Reddy, the initiative will be formally introduced at this year's SFSA as part of a first project of Science International, which is a global collaboration in the domain of science policy.
This first project, which forms part of open data in a big data world, addresses the important issue of access to data that is vital for ensuring equitable, ethical and effective science, he said.
"The idea is to establish a platform that will have an African reach and a coordinated approach to capacity-building, the development and recognition of good practice, development of sharing infrastructure across the continent and co-design of data-intensive research," Reddy explained.
He added the Department of Science and Technology (DST) will fund the pilot programme of the Africa Open Data Initiative, with EUR500 000 allocated for the project over a three-year period.
Now in its second year, the SFSA seeks to build on the DST's objective to provide a vibrant support base for the expansion of research and innovation on the African continent, in partnership with the global science community.
The science-focused forum is taking place at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research in Pretoria.
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