The Digital Solutions (DS) Team at the Cluster of Excellence in African Studies, University of Bayreuth in collaboration with the four African Cluster Centres (ACCs) in Nigeria (University of Lagos), Kenya (Moi University), Burkina Faso (University Joseph Ki-Zerbo of Ouagadougou) and South Africa (The Rhodes University) organised an amazing and interactive workshop from January 18 to 26, 2023 to discuss the importance of fully adopting a digital repository management system such as DSpace and implementing research data management (RDM) practices.

It was emphasised that DSpace and other digital repository systems could aid in preserving and providing access to valuable research and Institutional data. Adopting RDM practices can improve the organisation, discoverability and preservation of research data. Establishing a common schema for data can improve its interoperability and reusability across different platforms and projects. Implementing effective rights management was also discussed extensively, it was highlighted that proper rights management is crucial for ensuring compliance with regulations and protecting the rights of all parties involved.

In conclusion, the workshop emphasised the need for the ACCs to fully adopt the digital repository system (DSpace), RDM practices and practice rights management to preserve and provide access to valuable research and Institutional data, improve data security and protect the rights of all parties involved.