It has been a bit of an adventure to travel for one week to Ethiopia to research one of the oldest, and one of the newest of Africa's university presses. The 'Digitization of African University Presses Project' that I am involved in with African Minds and the UFS is actually one of those wonderful opportunities to really stretch myself - in terms of the periphery of my expertise in African higher education development, as well as in terms of my geographical reach in this respect.
The Addis Ababa University is, of course, one of the oldest institutions in Africa and in so many respects one of the historically most interesting, having been founded on the initiative of Emperor Haile Selassie I, and with its main campus being located on the former palace of the Emperor. I had the opportunity to visit the Emperor's former residency which now houses a museum, several libraries, and the Institute of Ethiopian Studies. The palace grounds are extensive and also include the building of the AAU Press. There I met with several editorial staff members, including Mr Sileshi, and the Director of the press, Prof Yacob Arsano. But not only did I receive most interesting information on the establishment and development of the AAU Press - which in many ways is conceived and operates as a traditional 'editorial-professional' university press - but our exchanges were very much of the nature of mutual knowledge sharing, whereby I was glad to be able to contribute some ideas on ways in which digitizing the press could be achieved.
My second visit was to Wollega University Press in Nekemte, Oromia State, located about 325 km outside of Addis Ababa. Being driven there by the courtesy of the university driver, I learnt some basic Afan Oromoo words, like donkey (haare), dog (sahar), and cow (saha) - which we encountered throughout on the 6 hours drive - and more importantly: hello (nagar). The welcome at Wollega University was overwhelmingly friendly; I was hosted by the University Vice-President Dr Hirpa and the Editor-in-Chief of the Wollega UP, Dr Rhagavendra. Both, as well as the President of Wollega University, Dr Bea, gave me much interesting information about the background to the establishment of a fully Open Access university press, probably the newest and most digitized UP in Africa. This young university is leapfrogging in the most amazing ways! And... they sure know how to get value for money :) I was extremely grateful that Dr Rhagavendra organised for me to come to Nekemte by the university driver and even booked a hotel in town - for which the university paid! The immediate value they got is that I was equally booked... to give a two hour seminar on the key issues behind the 'Digitization project', namely on knowledge production and academic publishing in the age of digitization (see poster above).
I am looking forward to maintaining and strengthening the wonderful linkages with Ethiopian scholars that I was able to make during this short field research visit!
I am looking forward to maintaining and strengthening the wonderful linkages with Ethiopian scholars that I was able to make during this short field research visit!
