Carnegie CPD Programme

Enhancing librarians' ICT skills for research enablement in African universities: a Carnegie CPD programme  

The Department of Information Science, University of Pretoria, was awarded a grant by the Carnegie Corporation of New York to offer eight four-week residential continuing professional development (CPD) programmes for qualified librarians from Sub-Saharan Africa, for the period 2014 – 2016. 

The aims of the programme are to:

• Empower the next generation of library and information professionals within Sub-Saharan African countries with hands-on skills to apply current and emerging information and communication technologies (ICTs);
• Build capacity amongst library and information services (LIS) professionals to support and enable researchers.

Eligibility criteria and application process 

A.  Eligibility criteria

Academic librarians and LIS faculty in Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda are eligible to apply for admission to this programme. Selection of candidates for this fully funded programme is highly competitive and is based inter alia on the following criteria:

• Current qualifications: at least a first degree in LIS from a government recognised and/or accredited tertiary education institution. Applicants with postgraduate degrees will also be eligible for selection if you comply with other criteria listed;
• Age eligibility 25 – 45 years;
• Work experience 5 – 7 years;
• Exceptions, for age and work experience, will be considered on a case by case basis when accompanied by a strong motivational letter from your manager or director;
• The availability of the required technologies in your current work environment or library;
• Past academic performance;
• Proficiency in English;
• Potential to explore and embrace emerging technologies;
• Willingness and ability to share what is learned with others in the profession;
• Demonstrated commitment of participant’s home institution to supporting sharing and future development activities;
• Willingness and ability to work as a team member;
• Interest in current international library issues.

B.    Application process

The following documents should be emailed to Joan de la Haye at Carnegie-cpd@up.ac.za: 

• A detailed CV (according to the specified template available here) which describes your work experience, current job description and responsibilities: involvement in ICTs combined with support of researchers will be a prerequisite. Also include a detailed description of ICT-related job responsibilities, knowledge of ICT technologies and programmes, and ICT-related training);
• A recommendation letter from your current employer / line manager, highlighting your current levels of technology skills;
• A commitment from your current employer that they will make time available for you to attend the four week programme as well as time to devote to your assignments after completing the programme;
• Academic documents and transcripts;
• Prospective students will be required to write an essay of approximately 1000 words explaining why they:
  • would like to participate in the programme, what they hope to learn from the programme,
  • should be selected for the programme and what they hope to contribute to the programme. 

Applicants should demonstrate the following in their essays:

• Potential to explore and embrace emerging technologies;
• Willingness and ability to share what is learned with others in the profession;
• Demonstrated commitment of participant’s home institution to supporting sharing and future development activities;
• Willingness and ability to work as a team member;
• Interest in current international library issues. 

Please note:

• Your application will be acknowledged within 72 hours. If you do not receive an acknowledgement, please follow up.
• Incomplete applications will not be considered.
• All participants are expected to comply with the requirements and adhere to the arrangements of the programme from the initial selection to the completion of the programme.

Grant conditions 

• Only participants from Carnegie countries namely Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda, will be considered for the programme.
• The funding covers books and other academic expenditures, flights, accommodation, and a daily stipend while in Pretoria.
• Medical insurance for non-South Africans, is included.
• Visa applications and personal expenses (for example medicine, laundry, internet top-ups, phone calls, etc.) are excluded. The grant also does not make provision for ICT equipment such as laptops, modems, etc. 

CPD programme themes 

1. Setting the context: Libraries, ICTs and research 
2. Leadership and innovation
3. Advanced Information literacy and advanced information retrieval
4. Social media for research discoverability in an academic environment
5. Mobile technology and mobility
6. Managing and organising information
7. Personal Information Management
8. Open Scholarship and Open Science (OS/S) – Publishing
9. Open Scholarship and Open Science – Institutional Repositories.
10. Open Scholarship and Open Science – Understanding and using research data management
11. Digitisation
12. Evaluating website architecture
13. Cloud services and storage
14. Virtual research environments
15. The next generation librarian 

Programme details 

• The four-week CPD programme is offered only in English.
• The programme is divided into distinct modules offering different information and each presented in a different format. The intention hereof is to provide a variety of activities that will be able to stimulate individual and group participation. These include:
  • Formal presentations
  • Workshops
  • Leadership tools
  • External visits
  • Evening speakers
• Lectures and practical training sessions will take place in the training venues in the Merensky Library of the Department of Library Services and the Tswelopele Smart Venue of the School of Information Technology.
• Free Wi-Fi is available in all training venues.
• All participants will be assessed on inter alia a portfolio of completed exercises done during the four-week programme, a group assignment and presentation on the last day of the programme, and a post-programme assignment.
• A minimum average final mark of 50% has to be obtained in order to pass. A final mark of 75% or higher will merit a distinction.
• The certificate of competence will be conferred on a participant who successfully completes the programme. 

Important Dates

Applications open: 28th of September 2015
Applications close: 28th of October 2015
Successful Candidates will be notified by the 30th of November 2015 
The course will commence on the 27st of February 2016

Contact Details 

Carnegie CPD Administration:

Ms Joan de la Haye

Email:  Carnegie-cpd@up.ac.za

Telephone: +27 12 420 2887

Presented in collaboration with the Centre for African Library Leadership.

Funded by: