What happens when digital infrastructure moves beyond simply connecting institutions and becomes a foundation for knowledge, collaboration and innovation across Africa?

Across the continent, National Research and Education Networks (NRENs) are playing an increasingly important role in strengthening research and education ecosystems. Yet the challenge is no longer just connectivity it is how these networks can enable researchers and institutions to access knowledge, share infrastructure, collaborate across borders and build on African solutions.

In this episode of Mazungumzo: African Scholarly Conversations, Joy Owango speaks with ⁠Solomon Dindi⁠, Chief Executive Officer; ⁠Ulemu Maseko⁠, Partnerships and Programs Coordinator; and ⁠Jones Kumwenda⁠, Systems Engineer, from the ⁠Malawi Research and Education Network (MAREN).⁠

Their conversation explores MAREN’s journey and the evolving role of NRENs in Africa’s research and education landscape. They discuss digital infrastructure, research repositories, cloud services, knowledge management, Open Science and access to research resources—and what it takes to build systems that do more than connect institutions.

The conversation also looks at the importance of stronger connections between African NRENs, enabling researchers to access knowledge and data, collaborate across borders, share infrastructure and learn from solutions emerging across the continent.

As part of Mazungumzo’s ongoing conversations with NRENs through the Ubuntu Alliance, this episode highlights how digital infrastructure can become the foundation for a more connected African research ecosystem—one where infrastructure connects not only institutions, but also African minds, knowledge and possibilities.

🎧 Listen to the full episode:

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Apple Podcasts:⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mazungumzo-african-scholarly-conversations/id1652483621⁠

Spotify:⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/2O944LOnl36Ksc379ZbeY7⁠

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What happens when African knowledge exists, but the systems that hold it cannot connect?

Africa produces remarkable research, innovations, cultural knowledge and other forms of intellectual contribution. Yet much of this knowledge remains fragmented across disconnected systems, making it harder to discover, connect, attribute and measure its impact.

In this episode of Mazungumzo: African Scholarly Conversations, Joy Owango speaks with Nabil Ksibi, Co-founder of DOCiD™ and Co-project Lead, Africa PID Alliance, about the need for stronger, African-led knowledge infrastructure. Their conversation explores persistent identifiers, the fragmentation of African research information systems, and how DOCiD™ can help give different forms of African knowledge a trusted digital identity.

Find out more about Nabil Ksibi and his work in open research through⁠⁠ ⁠⁠LinkedIn.⁠⁠

Read the transcript of this episode through our website:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.tcc-africa.org/category/mazungumzo-podcasts/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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