Fw: SPARC Africa 2026 Update
Ina Smith
Sent: Monday, September 28, 2026 10:09
To: Undisclosed recipients <researchc...@aflia.net>
Cc: Jill Claassen <jill.c...@uct.ac.za>; Reggie Raju <reggi...@uct.ac.za>
Subject: SPARC Africa 2026 Update
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Greetings from SPARC Africa.
As we move into the final months of the year, we would like to share a brief update on some of our ongoing activities and initiatives. We are grateful for your continued interest, support and engagement with the SPARC Africa network.
SPARC Africa Website
SPARC Africa is partnering with SPARC US to develop the SPARC Africa website. The website will serve as a regional hub for showcasing our strategic focus and priorities, activities, membership, partnerships, resources, advocacy work, and opportunities for collaboration. Once the website is completed, we will announce its launch and share it with the network.
Open Access Week 2026 and Diamond Open Access Virtual Conference
This year’s Open Access Week, will be observed under the theme “The Cost of Knowledge.” The theme provides an important opportunity to reflect on the financial and structural barriers that continue to shape access to and participation in scholarly communication, particularly in Africa.
In this context, SPARC Africa, together with the Association of African Universities (AAU), the African Library and Information Associations and Institutions (AfLIA), and the University of Cape Town (UCT), Cape Town, is organising a four-day Virtual Conference on Diamond Open Access on 2–5 November 2026.
The Virtual Conference will build on the global Diamond Open Access movement and the Toluca–Cape Town Declaration (2024). It will provide a platform to discuss practical approaches to advancing equitable, sustainable, non-commercial and academy-owned scholarly communication in Africa. It will also provide opportunities for learning, capacity development and collaboration among institutional leaders, researchers, librarians, editors, ICT professionals and other stakeholders.
Although the Virtual Conference takes place shortly after Open Access Week, it will extend the conversation around “The Cost of Knowledge” and explore how Diamond Open Access can contribute to a more equitable and sustainable scholarly communication ecosystem.
We invite you to register and participate in the Virtual Conference. Please also share the invitation with colleagues and networks who may be interested in joining the conversation.
More information about the Virtual Conference and registration can be found here - https://workshops.aau.org/Virtual-Diamond-Open-Access-Conference.
African Network of Open Education Librarians (ANOEL)
SPARC Africa is also working with AfLIA to establish the African Network of Open Education Librarians (ANOEL). The network seeks to create an African space where librarians and allied professionals are deeply embedded in inclusive, sustainable and locally grounded Open Education and Research ecosystems that expand access to quality learning and knowledge resources for all.
ANOEL will provide African librarians with a collective platform to build skills, share knowledge and resources, strengthen professional networks, and increase their visibility and influence in advancing Open Education across African institutions. It will support collaboration, advocacy, research, capacity development and the development of shared open knowledge infrastructure.
We are currently finalising the strategic framework for the network. Once this is ready, we will update the network on ANOEL’s activities and on how interested colleagues can become part of and contribute to its mission.
We look forward to your continued participation and to working together to advance equitable and sustainable scholarly communication and open education across Africa.
Kind regards,
SPARC
Africa
