In line with the 2015 Open Access theme, “Open Collaboration”, the capacity building and advocacy workshop will provide a platform for fostering partnerships between University libraries in Zimbabwe, Government Officials and Librarians in Government Ministries and Departments. This open collaboration is meant to strategically position the ZULC as it advocates for the adoption of a national mandate for Open Access as well as furthering the cause of free access to scholarly information. The training is meant to create a greater understanding of Open Access as a pragmatic, effective and efficient means for communicating scholarly and scientific research information. It is also intended to increase awareness and use of open access resources by Government Officials and Librarians in the Civil Service sector and/or that work in the various government ministries and departments. The participants of this activity will be Government officials who are directly responsible for libraries as well as the librarians in those Government Ministries and Departments. This target group will also enable the ZULC to advocate for the adoption of the OA model by Government.

The following activities will characterise the workshop:

• An overview of the Open Access Movement.

• Question and Answer Session
• Training on Open Access resources.
• Distribution of open access promotional materials

• Advocacy for a national mandate for Open Access.