Busitema University seeks funding from government for Space Science Institute

ssemi — Tue, 30 Apr 2024 15:54:57 +0000

Busitema University seeks funding from government for Space Science Institute ssemi Apr 30, 2024

Busitema University earlier today welcomed the Science, Technology and Innovations (STI) committee of parliament to discuss securing funds for the establishment of a Space Science Institute at the Faculty of Science and Education. This gathering, held at the university premises, aimed to assess and evaluate bodies involved in Science, Technology and Innovation with Busitema University being a potential beneficiary from the government funds that were allocated for such endeavors. Chaired by Hon. Eng. Alex Niyonsaba, Member of Parliament for Bufumbira South and STI chairman, alongside Professor Biira Saphina, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic Affairs) of Busitema University, the meeting emphasized the importance of advancing Uganda's scientific landscape with much more focus on Space Science and Technology.
Dr. Andima Geofrey, serving as the Co-Principal Investigator (CO-PI), delivered a comprehensive presentation highlighting Busitema University's suitability for a Space Science Institute. He emphasized the alignment of this initiative with Uganda's long-term goals, such as the Uganda Vision (2040) and East African Vision (2050), and the potential economic benefits, citing the current reliance on foreign companies for space-based services. Furthermore, Dr. Andima underscored the potential impact of a Space Science Institute on disaster management and refugee support, suggesting a more efficient approach through space technology. He also emphasized Busitema University's readiness for such an endeavor, citing available resources such as 45 acres of land, a team of experts including 6 Ph.D. holders and 2 MSc. personnel, and an established graduate curriculum in Space Science and Technology (SST) that is currently training Ph.D. and MSc. students. He highlighted the broad spectrum of beneficiaries, ranging from the agricultural and educational sectors to aviation, transportation and local governance, demonstrating the interdisciplinary impact of Space Science and Technology.
In light of these opportunities, Busitema University petitioned for funding to establish a Space Science Institute, awaiting the government's response as it continues to champion scientific advancement in the region.

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Dr. Fredrick Kiwuwa Lugya Receives DataCite Global Access Fund to Promote Open Scholarship and Open Science

ssemi — Fri, 26 Jan 2024 11:28:12 +0000

Dr. Fredrick Kiwuwa Lugya Receives DataCite Global Access Fund to Promote Open Scholarship and Open Science ssemi Jan 26, 2024

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Dr. Fredrick Kiwuwa Lugya , the University Librarian at Busitema University, has been awarded a one-year 10,425 Euros grant from the DataCite Global Access Fund to promote open scholarship and open science among Consortium of Uganda University Libraries (CUUL) member institutions.

The DataCite Global Access Fund (GAF) was launched in 2023 with the support of the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative. Its goal is to enable organizations worldwide to make their research outputs discoverable and connect to global open infrastructure. In January 2024, GAF announced the first cohort of organizations and projects that were successfully selected to receive GAF funding, and Dr. Lugya's project was among them.

Dr. Lugya's project aims to develop and deliver a five-day train-the-trainer workshop to librarians, ICT professionals, and research administrators selected from the Consortium of Uganda University Libraries (CUUL) member institutions. The workshop will ignite a countrywide conversation on the benefits of open scholarship and open science and increase awareness of integrating DataCite infrastructure services to make research discoverable.

The project also aims to create a publically available educational resource kit consisting of a training curriculum, guidelines for facilitating the training, training materials, and assessments on open scholarship, open science, and DataCite open infrastructure services. Each of the participating institutions in the training will be asked to prepare and deliver two similar trainings at their respective institutions annually.

This is a visionary project that will have a significant impact on increasing access to knowledge and promoting open scholarship and open science in Uganda. It is also a testament to Dr. Lugya's commitment to advancing the cause of open research and his expertise and research interest in open access.

The DataCite Global Access Fund is an essential initiative that is helping to democratize access to knowledge and promote open research worldwide. We congratulate Dr. Lugya on his achievement and wish him success in his efforts to promote open scholarship and open science in Uganda.

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Busitema University seeks funding from government for Space Science Institute

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Dr. Fredrick Kiwuwa Lugya Receives DataCite Global Access Fund to Promote Open Scholarship and Open Science

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