NRF and INASP Advance Discussions on Open Research in Kenya

The National Research Fund (NRF) and the International Network for Advancing Science and Policy (INASP) are exploring opportunities to strengthen open research practices and improve access to research knowledge in Kenya.

The collaboration brought together stakeholders for a workshop under a Rapid Open Research Assessment commissioned for NRF. The assessment examines the country’s research funding environment, looking at how research is funded, managed, reported, shared and supported through existing infrastructure and policy frameworks.

At the centre of the discussions was the need to ensure that research, particularly research supported through public funding, reaches beyond academic institutions and contributes to addressing societal needs. Open research makes research outputs, data and knowledge more accessible, creating opportunities for researchers, policymakers, industry and communities to benefit from and apply research findings.

Kenya has made important strides towards this through initiatives such as the Kenya National Research Repository https://repository.nrf.go.ke, launched by NRF in March 2024. The platform provides a national avenue for accessing research outputs and improving the visibility of research undertaken in the country.

Building on these existing efforts, the workshop considered opportunities to improve access to research outputs, strengthen research data management and sharing, promote wider use of the national repository, and enhance researchers’ understanding and adoption of open research practices.

For NRF, advancing open research presents an opportunity to strengthen the visibility, accessibility and wider use of research supported through its funding programmes. The collaboration with INASP provides a platform for examining practical approaches that can support these efforts and contribute to a more open and connected research environment in Kenya.