The Manicaland State University of Applied Sciences Library, in collaboration with the Department of Research Innovation and Postgraduate Studies, celebrated International Open Access Week on Friday 25 October 2024 at the Main Campus in Mutare.

Held under the theme “Community Over Commercialisation,” the International Open Access Week is a global, community-driven event aimed at promoting open access and open education as the new default in scholarship and research. The commemoration also provided an opportunity to unite, take action, and raise awareness about the importance of community-driven knowledge-sharing systems.

Speaking at the event, the Executive Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science and Technology, Dr Benias Nyamunda, hailed the occasion as crucial for the university community. He emphasised that it heightens innovation by fostering interdisciplinary research and entrepreneurship.“

The Open Access Week offers a rare opportunity to reiterate our commitment to making knowledge more accessible. The whole idea is to enhance transparency and accountability by promoting open data. This concept amplifies innovation by fostering integrative research and entrepreneurship,” said Dr. Nyamunda.

The event was attended by members of the MSUAS community, including Principal Officers, Executive Deans, Directors, staff, and students.

The International Open Access Week originated in 2008, as a global event to promote and raise awareness about open access to research and scholarly information. The event was inspired by the growing movement advocating for free and unrestricted access to academic outputs, including research articles, data and educational resources. The goal of open access is to eliminate the barriers to knowledge sharing, particularly the cost of accessing scholarly publications, which are often behind paywalls