The University of Ghana has initiated a project to enhance the skills of editors of five no-fee open access journals: the Ghana Journal of Geography, Contemporary Journal of African Studies, Ghana Journal of Theology and Religion, Health Sciences Investigation Journal and Science and Development Journal.
The ‘Enhancing Journal Management at University of Ghana: A Strategic Initiative for Technological Integration and Institutional Policy Development’ project aims to improve journal management and editorial workflows, increase publication quality and establish long-term sustainability of the five journals. The project will also develop an institutional policy to guide these and other University of Ghana journals and improve journal websites.
The project is based on results of a recent needs analysis which found that University of Ghana’s 15 open access journals (https://journals.ug.edu.gh/), hosted by the university’s Journal Management Services, were facing several challenges, including skills in journal management, organizing web content, dealing with reviewer related problems, keeping up with current journal practices, indexing in databases of international repute and financial sustainability.
The University of Ghana’s project is one of 17 projects that have received grant support through a three-year project to strengthen no-fee open access publishing in Africa implemented by EIFL, AJOL (African Journals Online) and WACREN (the West and Central African Research and Education Network), with funding from Wellcome.
Timeline
October 2024 - September 2025
Activities
- Train a core group of editors on standardization of journal websites; refining journal policies, and improving editorial workflows.
- Conduct a workshop to frame institutional policy for no-fee open access publishing at the University of Ghana.
- Set up a journal management office that will address the issues of governance, succession, funding, incentivisation, and other issues related to long-term sustainability of institutional journals.
- Develop a strategy for improving journal indexing.
- Build a platform for continuous training of new editors.
