National OA policy of Ethiopia (2019), FDRE Ministry of Science and Higher Education

What is this about?

The National Open Access (OA) Policy of Ethiopia (2019), published by the FDRE Ministry of Science and Higher Education, provides a national framework for open research in Ethiopia. It clarifies what researchers and institutions need to do to comply with national expectations while aligning local practice with international norms. The policy reduces ambiguity and offers actionable steps that promote transparency, reproducibility, and equitable access to research outputs. Key elements include guidance on open access publishing, rights retention, deposition in trusted repositories, and alignment with FAIR data principles. It serves as a practical checklist for authors and administrators and a benchmark for policymakers seeking to develop or harmonize national open research strategies. The policy also supports the development of enabling infrastructure and institutional workflows to facilitate compliance and improve the visibility of outputs. By clearly defining responsibilities for researchers, institutions, and funders, it helps embed openness into research planning and execution while balancing ethical, privacy, intellectual property, and security considerations. Implementation guidance ensures that institutions can provide training and resources, and that researchers can plan for openness from project inception. The policy is a credible reference for institutional policies, training, and grant documentation, promoting equitable and responsible access to knowledge in Ethiopia.

For whom is this important?

ResearchersResearch institutionsAcademic institutionsLibrariansJournal publishersPolicy makers

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