Presentation during the 14th Association of African Universities (AAU) Conference and African Open Science Platform (AOSP)/Research Data Alliance (RDA) Workshop in Accra, Ghana, 7-8 June 2017.

1. 1
©JMC 2017. All Rights Reserved
Private Sector Research Institutes’ Initiatives
in Promoting/Advocating
for Open Data and Open Science in Africa
-A Case of Botswana-
A Presentation at the African Open Science
Forum (AOSP)/ (AAU) 50th Anniversary
Accra - Ghana
Joseph Mwelwa, PhD. –
-Founder & Senior Partner
- Joint Minds Consult -

2. 2OVERVIEW OF PRESENTATION
• A brief overview of Joint Minds Consult
• Motivation for private sector participation in the ODOS
discourse
• What private sector can do to promote ODOS in Africa
• Joint Minds Consult's contributions to ODOS as a private
sector
• Strategies for promoting ODOS
• Lessons learnt in the process

3. 3What is Joint Minds Consult?
• Joint Minds Consult (JMC) is an example of a private institution promoting
ODOS
• Country Managing Partner - Botswana – Dr Patrick Molutsi
• Board consists of experienced and international team of researchers,
education and training consultants [Zambia, Botswana, Zimbabwe] – based
in Gaborone- Botswana.
• Research, Knowledge Development and Management, Training and H Ed
Student Support [Master & PhDs]
• Research co-ordination and advocacy for research based policy and
decision making in Africa.
• A member of the Research Data Alliance.
• Endorser of the SI Accord on (ODOS)

4. 4
Figure. 3 JMCproposed Quadrant approach . Adapted on source: World map by www.freeworldmaps.net
D] European Union block
and Russia
E]Asia
B] USA and Canada
C1 ] The
Caribbean and
South America
F]. Central +
East Africa
A] PRINCIPAL CONSULTANTS-
BOTSWANA
R.C- Jamaica
R.C - Barbados
R.C- U.K
R.C-
India
R.C -Zambia
GLOBAL SPREAD AND NETWORK OF CONSULTANTS
A] SADC
G] West +
North Africa
H] Middle
East
I] Horn of
Africa
J] Australia and New
Zealand
C2 USA

5. 5
WHAT IS OUR MOTIVATION ON ODOS IN AFRICA ?
 In a technologically and knowledge driven Africa,… data are indispensable.
 Digital revolution has produced … enormous amounts of data
…organizations are drowning in transactional data - Data not informing
decisions
 Knowledge production takes place in a multiplicity of places including public
and private sector institutions
 Need formalization and recognition of data production points
 Open data up for access, sharability, and optimal good use
 Data production, like knowledge, have been de-concentrated from the
traditional bastions of knowledge such as universities, public and
private sector research institutions
 Data stubbornly tends to lock away wealth from even those who produce it,
 Data is a source for innovation, creativity and job creation
 We know the local Data terrain
 Compelling reasons for us to participate in data discourse

6. 6WHAT CAN PRIVATE SECTOR DO TO PROMOTE ODOS IN AFRICA ?
Through collaboration, private sector can engage
research institutions to understand needs
 Provide funding for data initiatives
 Participate in ODOS discourse
 Support knowledge creation as an investment
sector area that thrives on data
 Provide infrastructure as and when needed

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2
3
1
Joint Minds Consult’s Contribution as a Private Sector
• We are about research promotion, knowledge development and
management that includes research and data issues
•The Board of Directors made a conscious decision to participate in
ODOS discourse
•Board decision released key company resources: Time, human
physical, financial and social capital
• JMC was making an investment in the data sector
• For analysis on key social economic issues, we need DATA
•Hence we are aggressively building our own data bank through our
consultancies e.g The Out of School Education for Children project
• Process includes conducting SA, benchmarking which generates
data that can be re-used and shared.
• Using our social capital, initiated discussions with partners in
Botswana, the international partners in France, UK, the US
and Australia
• These are partners who have developed critical experience
and expertise developing and managing data

8. 8
• With our local and international partners, facilitated seminars in Botswana in
October 2016
•With partners, we developed a framework for thinking about ODOS
•We participated in producing a position paper to guide ODOS discourse in Botswana
• Paper provides a useful framework for operationalising ODOS in Botswana
• Paper was presented at the African Open Science side-event in Pretoria in 2016
• Joint Minds Consult is official Secretariat of the ODOS national committee
• 2nd collaborative paper to further enrich thinking about ODOS process is in press
STRATEGIES FOR PROMOTING/ADVOCATING FOR /ODOS IN BOTSWANA

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WHAT ARE THE LESSONS LEARNT?
• Getting the stakeholders together requires skillful application of social capital
• Contextual knowledge is key to unlock inertia and ‘siloism’
• Brokers are necessary to keep the momentum at each stage
Build trust among stakeholders
• Develop a coordination centre- for local and international linkages
• Focus on developing a grassroots awareness for the first step
• Private sector has a big role to play in promotion of ODOS
• JMC has demonstrated modest initiatives on ODOS
• It is small but growing company
• However, there is a need for large corporations to do the same as they are better
positioned for provision of funding and infrastructure
.

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www.jointmindsconsult.com
Thank you!