文章基本信息

标题：A study on the state-of-the-art of e-Infrastructures uptake in Africa
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作者：Fotios Spyridonis ; Simon J E Taylor ; Pamela Abbott 等
期刊名称：Palgrave Communications
电子版ISSN：2055-1045
出版年度：2015
卷号：1
期号：1
页码：1-7
DOI：10.1057/palcomms.2014.7
出版社：Palgrave Macmillan
摘要：e-Science is a pioneering method that uses integrated collections of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), or e-Infrastructures, to enable scientists across the world to collaboratively work on more and more ambitious projects. Have advances and access to ICTs enabled African e-Infrastructure development? This paper aims to understand the current state of e-Infrastructure uptake in Africa and present some of these initiatives across the African continent by exploring the current landscape emerging from a survey of early consumers. These initiatives are discussed in terms of key projects and user communities that they are addressing. In line with wider perceptions that e-Infrastructures will re-shape the ways research is performed, this study yielded 34 current or planned e-Infrastructure projects across 13 African countries addressing a range of research domains, and identified 7 user communities across these disciplines. Our findings suggest that the African research community is increasingly interested and involved in e-Infrastructure development activities in response to the issue of limited access to dedicated global research and education resources. The study can contribute to the ongoing discussion on how e-Infrastructures can positively promote the research, technological development and innovation potential of developing countries.