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APPENDIXES

Statement Delivered by Dr. Butte Gottu
Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs, Addis Ababa University

Invited Guests,
Distinguished Participants
Ladies and Gentlemen,

On behalf of Addis Ababa University and on my own behalf, I would first of all like to extend my pleasure to welcome you all to this special occasion.

Higher education in Africa today is yet facing new challenges posed by the demands of globalization, acceleration of intra and trans-border information flow and services, liberalization of trade and education provision and the increasing presence of private sector education providers, both national and foreign. This has increased the demand for more efficient systems for service provision and accountability. 

The emergence of the >Information Age= characterised by among other things, the knowledge explosion, the ever increasing number of sites for the generation and dissemination of information, commercialisation of once traditional public sector services including higher education and the development of ICT have direct effects on higher education provision world over and increasingly influencing higher education provision in Africa. 

African higher education has traditionally had weak links to the global knowledge system, with data and information traffic mainly flowing to Africa. Universities in particular buy most of their books and journals from outside. Publishing is generally weak and only a few journals are published regularly. Deliberate and strategic efforts have to be put in place to enable Africa exploit the opportunities offered by the ICT to break the isolation of African scholars and researchers within and outside Africa and establish its presence in the global knowledge pool. 

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The Association of African Universities(AAU), established since 1967 has as its objectives to collect, organize and disseminate information on higher education and research in Africa and promote networking among its members. Cognizant of this mandate, it endeavor to work with member institutions to build the capacity for this realization. Among other programs for the enhancement of higher education in Africa is the DATAD Project. 

The DATAD Pilot Project started in February 2000 and is planned for three years. Its main aim is to retrospectively index theses and dissertations from institutions in Africa and disseminate this electronic index mainly through the Internet and CD-ROM. The process will also develop the capacity for the institutions to adequately respond to requests for data and information emanating from the use of the index. AAU is coordinating and managing the initiative. 

Addis Ababa University attaches great importance to systematic implementation of research programmes and dissemination of the research results through appropriate media and is fully committed to support the project.

Twelve institutions, one each from Egypt, Ethiopia, Senegal, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Ghana, Uganda, Cameroon, Tanzania, Nigeria and Kenya and one Social Science Consortium(CODESRIA) are participating in the pilot. Nine of these have already established DATAD sites and are represented in this workshop. 

This is the first workshop, with the aim to bring together Institutional coordinators and representatives from institutions involved in the project to share experiences and discuss issues pertinent to the project as an integral part of institution=s capacity building for research information management and dissemination.

Specifically, the workshop will receive and discuss reports from each institution as regards to implementation problems/challenges and solutions, quantitative and qualitative data about the work being indexed, proposals for improving implementation and the way forward.

The workshop is honoured to have members of the DATAD Advisory Committee which is scheduled to meet after the workshop. This extends the representation in this group to Cote d=Ivoire, USA, and South Africa. 

Among the issues that have constantly raised debate relate to the role of higher education institutions, particularly universities in spearheading the development of up-to date copyright policies. This is particularly urgent as the use of ICT and facilities for quick duplication and transmission advance while more publications are stored electronically. 

By availing yourselves to attend this workshop is a testimony to your commitment to the initiative. It is the conviction of the AAU and our conviction that the prototype developed through the pilot will grow to be the real Database of African Theses and Dissertations. 

At this juncture, I would like to thank the Association of African Universities for the basic idea, contribution and follow up of the project. A special thanks is also due to workshop organizers for their effort.

I now have the honour and privilege to declare this workshop officially open and wish you all a fruitful deliberation.

Thank you.

Closing Speech

Statement Delivered by Dr. Asrat Hailu, 
The Director of Research Program , Addis Ababa University
 

DATAD Workshop participants
Members of the Advisory Committee
Distinguished Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen,
 

On behalf of the local DATAD Workshop Organizing Committee, and the Office of Research and Graduate Programs, I am honoured to make a few remarks before the DATAD Workshop is brought to close, this afternoon.

AAU has been a partner of the DATAD project since the beginning of the year. Indeed, this was a momentous step for Addis Ababa University to be a partner in this project. Coincidentally, the beginning of this year has also brought new perspectives in the management of academic programs within AAU. At the present, the office of RGP has been made a focal point for two major academic undertakings of AAU - The graduate Studies and Research Programs. In addition, a very important unit of AAU Press, has been brought within the administrative set-up of this office. Again this year, the AAU has been called upon by Ethiopian government to launch an extraordinary expansion programs, in which the intake of graduate students is expected to increase from about 1000 at present to 6000 after four years. One would expect, at least 10,000 theses in the next 5 years. One can imagine the challenges ahead with such a huge undertaking, that is at stake.

In the face of the challenges however, AAU=s participation in the DATAD project has created interesting opportunities. Thus, there is every reason for AAU to resolutely adhere to the premise of DATAD project. I assure you that AAU will remain to be a major stakeholder in this ongoing project.

Beyond doubt, the DATAD project has demonstrated to be more than an experimental model and has permitted, during this workshop, to upgrade our skills and to speak the common language needed for networking. I believe, that it built confidence within and between the project teams and the supporting partners. With that momentum at disposal, I hope that opportunities will be created to widen scope of networking and to include other universities in the African continent.

I earnestly believe that the workshop has been enlightening. Clearly, we set to determine a list of follow-up activities. For instance, a home work for most of us in the forthcoming years would be to:

• determine procedures and training needs for submission of electronic data by graduate students and researchers alike (uniform formats, specifications),
• re-define policy matters relating to Copyright and IPR, and
• determine the archival regulations and modalities, among other scholarly works.

Once again, I would like to reiterate that AAU has vested interest in, and commitment to the digital data collection project, relating to research and publications in general and in particular theses and dissertations.

Our main goal is to produce scholarship, research and publications in our institutions. The means to that end, as reflected by one of you is to pronounce a goal-driven technology-based promotion and exchange of knowledge. Hand-in-hand and together, we shall accomplish.

Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to thank

• the project coordinators,
• the Advisory Committee for the project
• the collaborating centres, and
• the partners, Ford and Rockfeller Foundations

If you insist, we are happy to host you next!!

I would like to stop here at this point, and declare this workshop officially closed.

1. Organising Committee
 

Prof Yemane Berhane - Addis Ababa University -Chair
Dr Asrat Hailu - Addis Ababa University -Vice Chair
Dr Asrat Worku - Addis Ababa University
Mr Million Meshesha - Addis Ababa University 
Kidanemariam Woldeyesus - Addis Ababa University
W/o Elinifesh - Addis Ababa University
Ms Mary Materu-Behitsa - Association of African Universities
Benjamin A.  Eshun - Association of African Universities
Annick Agbotame - Association of African Universities

Dr. Asrat Hailu 
Dr. Asrat Worku
Prof. Edward Ako
Mrs Dorcas Kigozi
Mrs Jane Kawalya
Mary Materu-Behitsa

Dr. Gutte Botu - Academic Vice President, Addis Ababa University

4. Closing Address

Dr Asrat Hailu 

5. Session Chairs 

Day 1

I.Opening session - Dr Asrat Worku
II.Chair - First session - Dr Asrat Worku

Day 2

I.Chair - Morning Session - Felix Ubogu
II.Chair - afternoon Session - Prof. Edward Ako 
III.Closing Session Address - Dr Asrat Hailu

Mr Million Meshesha
Mrs Caroline Rioga
Dr. Fenella Mukangara

Tuesday 11th June

Time	Activity	Venue	Presenter(s)
09.00 - 09.30	Opening	Conference Room	Chair: Dr. Asrat Worku  GoH: Dr Gutte Botu
09.30 - 10.00	Group Photograph Tea/Coffee	Conference Room
10.15 - 11.15	Procite/Reference Web Poster Trouble Shooting	Conference Room	Benjamin A. Eshun
11.15 - 12.15	OmniPage Pro Trouble Shooting	Conference Room	Million Meshesha
12.15 - 13.00	DATAD Manual	Conference Room	Mary Materu-Behitsa
13.00 - 14.30	Lunch Break	Conference Room
14.30	Site Visit to Addis Ababa University Main Campus, DATAD Site and IES Museum,		LOC

Wednesday 12th June

08.30 - 09.30	Presentation and Panel Discussion	Conference Room	Justin Chisenga  Mary Materu-Behitsa
09.30 - 10.45	3 Reports and Discussions	Conference Room	MU, ZIMBABWE, YAOUNDE I
10.45 - 11.00	Tea/Coffee Break	Conference Room
11.00 - 13.00	3 Reports and Discussions	Conference Room	ADDIS, UCAD, CODESRIA
13.00 - 14.00	Lunch	Conference Room
14.30 - 15.45	3 Reports and Discussions	Conference Room	UEM, UDSM,, UG
15.45 - 16.45	DATAD Report  Discussions	Conference Room	Mary Materu-Behitsa
16.45 - 17.00	Closing	Conference Room
19.00	Reception	Crown Hotel	DATAD/AAU