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BotsREN and UbuntuNet Alliance Strengthen Repository Management Capacity in Botswana

Botswana Research and Education Network (BotsREN), in partnership with UbuntuNet Alliance, successfully hosted a three-day Librarian Capacity-Building Workshop on Modern Repository Management and Metadata Curation from 14–16 July 2026 in Gaborone.

The workshop forms part of the regional initiative, “Unlocking Potential: Elevating Open Institutional Repositories in Africa for Global Impact,” which seeks to strengthen the capacity of librarians and information professionals to manage, support, and sustain Open Institutional Repositories across Africa.The training brought together librarians and repository managers from higher education and research institutions across Botswana. Participants gained practical knowledge and skills in repository management, metadata curation, content organisation, interoperability, and strategies for enhancing the visibility and accessibility of institutional research outputs.

As Botswana’s National Research and Education Network (NREN), BotsREN is committed to supporting Open Science and strengthening the digital research infrastructure that enables institutions to preserve, share, and showcase scholarly work. By empowering librarians with modern repository management skills, the workshop contributes to improving the discoverability and global impact of research produced within Botswana and across the African continent.

The workshop was facilitated by experts from UbuntuNet Alliance with support from Invest in Open Infrastructure (IOI). Botswana becomes the fourth country to host the training programme following successful workshops in Zambia, Madagascar, and Lesotho.

BotsREN extends its appreciation to UbuntuNet Alliance, Invest in Open Infrastructure, participating institutions, and all attendees whose engagement contributed to the success of the workshop. The knowledge and networks established during the training will play an important role in advancing Open Access, Open Science, and research collaboration within Botswana’s research and education community.