<div dir="ltr"><br clear="all"><div><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><br><div><b>From:</b> CODATA-international <<a href="mailto:codata-international-bounces@lists.codata.org" target="_blank">codata-international-bounces@lists.codata.org</a>>
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Asha CODATA<br></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="gmail_quote"><div lang="EN-US" link="blue" vlink="purple"><div class="m_8960003913259991177WordSection1"><p class="MsoNormal">
<b>Sent:</b> 29 April 2020 4:06 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> <a href="mailto:codata-international@lists.codata.org" target="_blank">codata-international@lists.codata.org</a><br>
<b>Subject:</b> [CODATA-international] NRF South Africa to host the AOSP Project Office<u></u><u></u></p>
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<p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#666666"><img width="651" height="234" style="width:6.7833in;height:2.4416in" id="m_8960003913259991177_x0000_i1025" src="https://codata.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/AOSP-Logo.png"><u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;vertical-align:baseline;box-sizing:border-box;outline:0px;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">
<span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#666666"><img width="200" height="77" style="width:2.0833in;height:.8in" id="m_8960003913259991177_x0000_i1026" src="https://codata.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/NRF_WebLogoA_1.png">The <a href="https://www.nrf.ac.za/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#2ea3f2;border:none windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in">National
 Research Foundation</span></a> (NRF) of South Africa will host the <a href="http://africanopenscience.org.za/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#2ea3f2;border:none windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in">African Open Science Platform</span></a> (AOSP) Project Office for the next
 3 to 5 years. Supported by South Africa’s <a href="https://www.dst.gov.za/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#2ea3f2;border:none windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in">Department of Science and Innovation</span></a> (DSI), key institutions in Africa, and the <a href="https://council.science/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#2ea3f2;border:none windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in">International
 Science Council</span></a> (ISC), the AOSP (<em><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;border:none windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in">Science for the Future, the Future of Science</span></em>) makes the case for bold action to mobilise the scientific community
 in Africa in responding to the challenges of the digital revolution. The new paradigm of <em><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;border:none windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in">Open Science</span></em> is a powerful driver for scientific research and scholarship
 and its application to social, economic and global environmental priorities.<u></u><u></u></span></p>
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<span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#666666">The AOSP Advisory Council, following a competitive process, awarded the NRF this significant opportunity to further establish and formalise a Continental platform. With a strong emphasis
 on African unity as a nuanced and dedicated focus, the NRF and the DSI recognise the significant potential of the AOSP as a means to create an inclusive and integrated culture of collaboration on the Continent in the service of democratising information and
 knowledge across social boundaries for the achievement of common goals and objectives.<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;vertical-align:baseline;box-sizing:border-box;outline:0px;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial">
<span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#666666"><img border="0" width="281" height="396" style="width:2.925in;height:4.125in" id="m_8960003913259991177_x0000_i1027" src="https://www.codata.org/uploads/images/aosp_new.png">The AOSP was initiated through
 a pilot phase supported by the DSI, and managed by the NRF and the <a href="https://www.assaf.org.za/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#2ea3f2;border:none windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in">Academy of Science of South Africa</span></a> (ASSAf) during 2017-2019, with partners
 including the International Science Council (ISC), and its <a href="https://codata.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#2ea3f2;border:none windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in">Committee on Data</span></a> (CODATA). Outputs included the collective development of a draft roadmap
 for Open Science on the Continent, and four open science frameworks that informed the first consultative stakeholder meeting, held during 2-3 September 2019 in Alexandria, Egypt, to design the implementation phase of the AOSP. Coordinated by the Chairperson
 of the AOSP Advisory Council, Dr Khotso Mokhele, the <a href="https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.2222418" target="_blank"><span style="color:#2ea3f2;border:none windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in">Strategic Plan</span></a> for the AOSP was launched during South Africa’s Science Forum
 in December 2018. The AOSP aims to build a critical mass of high-calibre open science research on the Continent, and will ensure that its projects are aligned with existing programmes and opportunities within regional and national research systems.<u></u><u></u></span></p>
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<span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#666666">In collaboration with numerous key institutional and national initiatives, including Governments, Science Granting Councils, research infrastructure platforms, universities, and public
 and private research institutions, workstreams of the formalised platform will include the development of a legislatively compliant governance framework; the co-creation of a sustainable long-term funding model; and formalisation of the AOSP Operating Model.<u></u><u></u></span></p>
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<span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#666666">The CEO of the NRF, Dr Molapo Qhobela, stated that: “<em><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;border:none windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in">The NRF is delighted to contribute to
 and support this strategic endeavour with a number of national and international partners. To excel in the new data dispensation, commitment and investment are required for Open Data policies, enabling Information and Communications Technology (ICT) infrastructure,
 and commitment to the necessary human capacity development</span></em>”.<u></u><u></u></span></p>
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<span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#666666">The AOSP Project Office, based at the NRF in Pretoria, South Africa, with selected staff appointments, will be launched during 2020. The interim contact person is Dr Sepo Hachigonta,
 Director Strategic Partnerships (<a href="mailto:sepo.hachigonta@nrf.ac.za" target="_blank"><span style="color:#2ea3f2;border:none windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in">sepo.hachigonta@nrf.ac.za</span></a>).<u></u><u></u></span></p>
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<span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#666666">The Future of Science and Science of the Future: Vision and Strategy for the African Open Science Platform: <a href="https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.2222418" target="_blank"><span style="color:#2ea3f2;border:none windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in">https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.2222418</span></a><u></u><u></u></span></p>
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<span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#666666">Thanks,<u></u><u></u></span></p>
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<span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#666666">Asha<u></u><u></u></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">-- <u></u><u></u></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b>DDI – Cross Domain Integration (DDI-CDI):</b> <a href="https://codata.org/ddi-cross-domain-integration-ddi-cdi-first-public-review-release/" target="_blank">first Public Review Release, deadline for comments 31 July.</a><u></u><u></u></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color:black">Call for Nominations and Applications: </span></b><span style="color:black"><a href="https://codata.org/call-for-nominations-and-applications-chair-codata-international-data-policy-committee-deadline-monday-25-may-2020/" target="_blank">Chair, CODATA International Data
 Policy Committee, Deadline Monday, 25 May 2020</a><u></u><u></u></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt"><a href="https://codata.org/essay-competition-open-data-challenges-to-address-global-and-societal-issues/" target="_blank"><b><span style="color:black">CODATA Connect and Data Science Journal Essay Competition</span></b></a>,
 deadline 30 June 2020.<u></u><u></u></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"><a href="https://codata.org/data-together-covid-19-appeal-and-actions/" target="_blank"><b>Data Together COVID-19: Appeal and Actions</b></a> - commitment from CODATA, GO FAIR, RDA and WDS<u></u><u></u></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color:black">SAVE THE DATE! <a href="https://codata.org/save-the-date-international-data-week-2021-8-11-november-2021-seoul-south-korea/" target="_blank">International Data Week 2021</a></span></b><span style="color:black">,
 8–11 November 2021, Seoul, South Korea<u></u><u></u></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color:black">SAVE THE DATE! <a href="https://codata.org/save-the-date-international-fair-convergence-symposium-codata-general-assembly-in-paris-on-22-24-october-2020/" target="_blank">International FAIR Convergence Symposium</a></span></b><span style="color:black">,
 22-23 October 2020, Paris, France<u></u><u></u></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"><a href="https://codata.org/march-2020-publications-in-the-data-science-journal/" target="_blank"><b>March 2020 publications</b></a> in the <a href="https://datascience.codata.org/" target="_blank">CODATA Data
 Science Journal</a> <u></u><u></u></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color:black">Stay in touch with CODATA:</span></b><span style="color:black"><u></u><u></u></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">Stay up to date with CODATA activities: <a href="http://lists.codata.org/mailman/listinfo/codata-international_lists.codata.org" target="_blank">join the CODATA International News list</a><u></u><u></u></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">Looking for training and career opportunities in data science and data stewardship?  <a href="http://lists.codata.org/mailman/listinfo/data_science_training_lists.codata.org" target="_blank">Sign up to the CODATA
 early career community-run data science training and careers list</a><u></u><u></u></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">Follow us on social media! <a href="https://twitter.com/CODATANews" target="_blank">Twitter</a> - <a href="https://www.facebook.com/codata.org/" target="_blank">Facebook</a> - <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/simon-hodson-b3711a11/" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a> - <a href="https://www.instagram.com/codatainternational/" target="_blank">Instagram</a><u></u><u></u></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Asha Law | Program Assistant, CODATA | <a href="http://www.codata.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#1155cc">http://www.codata.org</span></a><u></u><u></u></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">E-Mail: <a href="mailto:asha@codata.org" target="_blank"><span style="color:#1155cc">asha@codata.org</span></a><u></u><u></u></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Tel (Office): +33 1 45 25 04 96<u></u><u></u></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">CODATA (Committee on Data of the International Council for Science), 5 rue Auguste Vacquerie, 75016 Paris, FRANCE<u></u><u></u></span></p>
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