Workshops Educate African Researchers On How to Publish With IEEE
Many researchers and students in Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda struggle to access and publish scientific and technical articles because of financial barriers including publishing fees and subscriptions to research libraries. To help, IEEE has made its Xplore Digital Library more accessible by offering discounts on subscriptions and lowering fees to publish articles. But the number of papers published…
Researchers and students in Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda often face financial challenges when trying to publish their scientific and technical articles. To address this issue, the IEEE has reduced fees and offered discounts on subscriptions to their Xplore Digital Library. However, publications from these nations still fall short of those from other developing countries. The problem may stem from a lack of training in publishing methodology, academic article writing, or an unclear understanding of the publication process.
To tackle this, IEEE staff and volunteers conducted educational workshops in the three countries during 2022. The sessions focused on the publishing process, IEEE outlets, maintaining research integrity, and maximizing the use of IEEE Xplore. Kristopher Zakrzewski, IEEE area manager for Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Central Asia, stated that the goal is to bring these researchers to the same level as other research communities and provide them with the necessary tools for increased visibility and participation in global technology discussions.
More than 120 participants attended the workshops in Nairobi, Rwanda, and Kampala. Local authors presented best practices to help new and returning authors prepare their papers for submission, determine the best publication venue, and identify appropriate journals or conferences. IEEE Senior Member Mayur Kumar Chhipa, head of engineering at the International Business, Science, and Technology University in Kampala, shared practical guidance on conducting literature reviews and identifying high-impact research.
The IEEE Xplore digital library houses over 7 million technical documents and is accessible to more than 50 universities in Kenya, 16 universities in Uganda, and one institution in Rwanda. Open access publishing, a model that makes scholarly research freely available online, also offers discounts on article processing charges, which typically range from $2,160 to $2,800. IEEE offers authors in Kenya a 50% discount on APC rates and provides free publication in open access journals for authors from Rwanda and Uganda.
With over 109,000 articles published in IEEE Access, the open access megajournal, and more than 200 hybrid journals, IEEE supports author choice and encourages researchers to publish their work. This increased visibility can lead to higher citations, scholarship awards, research assistant job offers, networking opportunities, and speaking engagements.
Written by urgent.news from IEEE Spectrum's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
