LIBSENSE Open Science Symposium - The Gambia

Monday 23 Mar 2026, 08:30 → 19:20 Africa/Banjul

Thematic Hall 2 (SDKJ International Convention Centre)

Omo Oaiya (WACREN)

A National Milestone for Research and Innovation

The LIBSENSE Open Science Symposium – The Gambia takes place at a defining moment for the country’s research and education ecosystem.

With the recent connection of GAMREN (The Gambia Research and Education Network) to the WACREN regional backbone, and its formal launch during the WACREN 2026 Conference in the presence of the President of the Republic, The Gambia has entered a new phase of continental research integration.

This Symposium provides the policy and coordination complement to that infrastructure milestone. If GAMREN represents national connectivity, this Symposium represents national coordination of knowledge.

Purpose

The Symposium initiates structured national dialogue toward a Gambian National Open Science Roadmap, aligned with international Open Science principles and regional research integration.

Its objective is to ensure that improved connectivity translates into:

• Greater global visibility of Gambian scholarship
• Sustainable Diamond Open Access publishing
• Strengthened national research coordination
• Participation in international knowledge infrastructures

What Will Happen

Over two days, national stakeholders will engage in:

• Policy dialogue and governance alignment
• Infrastructure readiness discussions
• Implementation pathways for Open Access and repositories
• Identification of practical next steps

Strategic Alignment

The Symposium is intentionally positioned alongside the WACREN 2026 Conference, linking national Open Science policy dialogue with continental research and education infrastructure integration.

Connectivity is the foundation.
Coordination is the multiplier.
Open Science is the outcome.

08:30 → 09:00 Arrival and Registration

09:00 → 10:20 Opening Session

09:00 Welcome

09:05 Introduction to Symposium and LIBSENSE

Speaker: Omo Oaiya (WACREN)

09:25 UNESCO Keynote on Advancing Open Science in The Gambia

This keynote will share perspectives on the UNESCO Open Science Recommendation and The Gambia’s ongoing work to put it into practice. The session will provide a lens on policy adoption, capacity building, and the role of national stakeholders in advancing open science across Africa.

Speaker: Maimuna Sidibeh (Gambia National Commission for UNESCO)

09:45 Opening Address

Speaker: Prof. Pierre Gomez (Minister, MoHERST The Gambia)

10:05 Interactive Audience Poll: National Open Science Baseline

The poll will explore institutional representation, awareness of the UNESCO Open Science Recommendation, existing Open Science policies and infrastructure, and key national challenges. Results will help frame the discussions in Session 1 and inform the development of a Gambian National Open Science Roadmap.

10:20 → 10:50 Tea Break & Photography

10:50 → 13:00 Session 1: Embedding Open Science in National Policy and Governance

11:30 Aligning National Research Policy with Open Science Principles

11:45 Quality Assurance and Accreditation Standards for Open Science

12:00 Funding Open Science: Strengthening Research Governance and Institutional Readiness in The Gambia

12:15 National Dialogue: Funding, Governance and Coordination Moderated Discussion

Panel Participants:
• MoHERST
• NAQAA
• University of The Gambia
• GAMREN
• NRIF
• THET Fund

13:00 → 14:00 Lunch & Networking

14:00 → 15:30 Session 2: National Infrastructure, Collaboration and Capacity for Open Science

14:00 GAMREN as Provider and Enabler of Open Scholarly Infrastructure

14:20 Libraries as Pillars of Open Knowledge and Research Stewardship

14:40 Unlocking National Hydrological and Meteorological Data for Open Science and Research Collaboration

15:00 Interactive Discussion

15:30 → 16:00 Tea Break

16:00 → 17:30 Session 3: Toward a Gambian National Open Science Roadmap

16:00 Structured National Working Dialogues :

• Group 1 – Policy, Funding and Governance
• Group 2 – Infrastructure and Interoperability
• Group 3 – Capacity Building and Advocacy

Each group to identify:
* Three immediate priority actions (0–12 months)
* One proposed lead institution per priority
* One coordination or governance recommendation

17:00 Reports from Working Groups and Next Steps

17:25 Closing Reflections