MoHERST hosts National Symposium on Open Science

Besides, this inclusive multi‑stakeholder model reflects the best practices as outlined in UNESCO’s 2021 Recommendation on Open Science.

Addressing the gathering, Professor Gomez underscored the importance of the forum, describing it as timely, coming at a defining moment for the advancement of higher education, research and innovation in The Gambia.

Minister Gomez acknowledged that the recent connection of GAMREN to the WACREN regional backbone has ushered in a new era for the country, reminding that this achievement goes far beyond technical connectivity.

“It represents a strategic milestone, positioning the country’s researchers, students, and institutions to participate more fully and more effectively in regional and global knowledge ecosystems. He said that it places The Gambia “firmly on the path towards a more digitally empowered research and education landscape.’’

He added; “What will ultimately determine our success is how we organise, collaborate and build systems that translate access into opportunity. We must ensure our researchers are supported, our institutions are coordinated, and the knowledge generated in our country becomes visible, accessible, and impactful,” he emphasised.

He highlighted that UNESCO’s recent consolidated report on the implementation of the Recommendation highlights two-points.

The first, he said, are those countries making the greatest progress and have established robust national coordination mechanisms, while the second grouped nations, including The Gambia, which continues to face challenges in accessing global Open Science infrastructures – a gap he said, the symposium seeks to address.

“I view Open Science as a critical pillar of our national development agenda. It aligns with our commitment to improve research quality, enhance innovation, build institutional capacity, and ensure that knowledge serves society.’’

Prof Gomez further highlighted three strategic priorities that should guide the national approach, including enhancing the visibility and accessibility of Gambian research, investing in the systems that sustain research excellence and establishing a coordinated national mechanism for Open Science.

He thus applauded the WACREN and LIBSENSE for their steadfast partnership, UNESCO for its global leadership and participants for their unwavering dedication to advancing higher education and research in The Gambia.