Collaborative Library Innovations for Advancing Ideation, Learning, Research and Innovation Ecosystem in Uganda

Consortium of Uganda University Libraries (CUUL) (

Partnership

)

#SDGAction57288

Description

Our initiative, led by the Consortium of Uganda University Libraries (CUUL), focuses on leveraging library systems and collaborative partnerships to accelerate the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Uganda. The initiative addresses critical challenges in equitable access to knowledge, research capacity building, and sustainable innovation through a coordinated approach involving multiple stakeholders across academia, government, civil society, and international organizations. Objectives: 1. Enhance Access to Quality Education (SDG 4) o Provide equitable access to academic and research resources for students, researchers, and educators across Uganda. o Foster lifelong learning by equipping libraries with ICT tools, digital repositories, and open-access platforms. 2. Strengthen Ideation, Learning, Research and Innovation Ecosystems (SDG 9) o Build capacity among library professionals to support advanced research and innovation. o Promote local research visibility by digitizing and curating institutional knowledge repositories. 3. Promote Gender Equality (SDG 5) o Empower women researchers and students by increasing access to resources and opportunities for professional development. 4. Foster Global Partnerships (SDG 17) o Collaborate with international agencies, publishers, and library consortia to achieve shared goals in resource equity, innovation, and capacity building. 5. Address Resource Disparities o Advocate for fair pricing models for academic resources in low-income regions and promote open-access initiatives. Implementation Methodologies: 1. Collaborative Resource Sharing o Negotiate consortium-wide licenses for academic resources to reduce costs and maximize access. o Pool funding and expertise from member institutions and international partners. 2. Capacity Building and Training o Conduct regular training programs for librarians and library staff in emerging areas like digital resource management, data curation, and user-centered services. 3. Annual Knowledge-Sharing Platforms o Host the CUUL International Annual Conference to disseminate research findings, foster collaboration, and recommend best practices based on global and local trends. Follow-Up Mechanisms: 1. Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) o Utilize the in-country-SDG advocacy plan facilitated by IFLA and employ the M&E framework to track progress against defined metrics, such as the number of resources accessed, research output growth, and stakeholder engagement levels. o Regularly review and report on the impact of initiatives to CUUL members and partners. 2. Feedback Loops o Establish mechanisms for feedback from beneficiaries, including students, researchers, and librarians, to inform continuous improvement. o Use data analytics to assess resource usage and user satisfaction. 3. Sustainability Plans o Integrate long-term sustainability goals into all initiatives, including capacity building, infrastructure development, and financial planning. o Align library operations with national development priorities and international SDG frameworks. Governance: CUUL is governed by a representative body composed of member institutions, chaired by an executive leadership team. Governance roles include: • Strategic Oversight: Ensuring alignment with national and global SDG priorities. • Operational Coordination: Facilitating resource sharing, training programs, and implementation of initiatives. • Partnership Management: Strengthening collaborations with local and international stakeholders to expand the reach and impact of CUUL initiatives. This initiative embodies a holistic approach to advancing the SDGs through libraries, fostering an inclusive and equitable academic and research environment in Uganda while building global partnerships to drive innovation and development.

Expected Impact

Our initiative significantly accelerates the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Uganda by leveraging libraries as powerful enablers of education, innovation, and collaboration. The expected impact included: 1. Enhanced Access to Quality Education (SDG 4) • Bridging Educational Gaps: Libraries provide equitable access to digital and physical academic resources, empowering over 200,000 students and researchers across Uganda’s higher education institutions. • Promoting Lifelong Learning: Public access to libraries enables community members to acquire critical skills and knowledge for self-development and socio-economic growth. • Improved Outcomes: Strengthened academic support systems lead to higher retention rates, improved academic performance, and increased graduate employability. 2. Strengthened Ideation, Learning, Research and Innovation Ecosystem (SDG 9) • Increased Research Output: By curating institutional knowledge repositories and enhancing access to research databases, this initiative accelerates the production of high-quality, locally relevant research. • Innovation Hubs: Libraries serve as innovation hubs, supporting researchers and entrepreneurs in solving local and global challenges. • Collaboration Opportunities: Digital repositories and knowledge-sharing platforms foster national and international collaborations, promoting knowledge exchange and sustainable industrialisation. 3. Gender Equality and Empowerment (SDG 5) • Equal Access: Women researchers and students will have equal access to academic and research resources, reducing gender disparities in education and career opportunities. • Capacity Building: Targeted training programs empower female librarians and researchers with leadership and technical skills, fostering gender-balanced representation in academia and beyond 4. Global Partnerships for SDG Implementation (SDG 17) • Collaboration for Resource Sharing: Partnerships with international agencies like Research4Life, EIFL, and UNESCO brings global expertise and resources to Uganda, strengthening local capacity to achieve the SDGs. • Leveraging Technology: Collaboration with ICT-focused organisations, such as SPIDER and RENU, ensures the integration of advanced technologies to optimise library services. Interlinkages Between Goals: This initiative acknowledges and addresses the interconnected nature of the SDGs; • Education and Innovation (SDG 4 & SDG 9): Improved access to education resources fuels research and innovation, which in turn creates a foundation for sustainable industrialisation. • Gender Equality and Reduced Inequalities (SDG 5 & SDG 10): Promoting gender equality and equitable resource distribution directly addresses systemic disparities, fostering inclusive development. • Global Partnerships and Local Impact (SDG 17): Strengthened partnerships create opportunities to share knowledge and resources, accelerating progress across multiple SDGs while addressing local development priorities. Catalytic Impact: • Scalable Model: This initiative provides a replicable framework for other countries facing similar challenges in resource-constrained environments. • Sustainable Growth: By aligning library systems with SDG priorities, this action ensures long-term benefits for academic, research, and community development. • Economic Empowerment: Knowledge-driven initiatives enhance human capital, fostering innovation and entrepreneurship that contribute to national economic growth. This additional action transforms libraries into central agents of SDG acceleration, bridging gaps in education, research, and innovation while addressing the root causes of inequality and exclusion. The initiative leverages its impact to influence and inspire broader regional collaboration across the continent. The inclusion of international partnerships and global networks ensures a robust support mechanism.

Partners

Consortium of Uganda University Libraries (CUUL), The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), Parliament of Uganda, Bank of Uganda, Uganda Registration Services Bureau, Kampala Capital City Authority, Uganda Human Rights Commission, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Public Service, Office of the Auditor General, the Uganda Vice Chancellors Forum (UVCF), Association of Uganda Public Libraries, Research4Life, Research and Education Network for Uganda (RENU), the Uganda National Council for Science and Technology (UNCST), the Uganda National Commission for UNESCO, the International Network for Availability of Scientific Publications (INASP), Swedish Programme for ICT in Developing Regions (SPIDER), Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), and Electronic Information for Libraries (EIFL).

Additional information

X (formerly Twitter): @CuulibrariesU YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cuuleresources247 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/consortium-of-uganda-university-libraries-cuul https://www.inasp.info/publications/beginning-strong-foundation LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/consortium-of-uganda-university-libraries-cuul https://dir.muni.ac.ug:8443/server/api/core/bitstreams/962653e7-6a8c-43aa-a921-4ef25fe9c01f/content https://www.eifl.net/events/cuul-open-science-symposium https://www.eifl.net/eifl-in-action/open-access-and-open-science-uganda https://www.eifl.net/country/uganda https://www.research4life.org/other/bridging-the-gap-with-libraries/ https://www.ifla.org/experience-of-grant-awardee-andrew-ojulong-uganda/ https://www.linkedin.com/posts/research4life_divide-researchequity-equityinscience-activity-7245015550131597314-VVqB https://www.ifla.org/news/leading-change-for-libraries/ https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/libphilprac/4018/ https://www.inasp.info/sites/default/files/2023-04/UNCST%20learning%20brief.pdf

SDGS & Targets

Goal 4

Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all

4.1

By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes

4.1.1

Proportion of children and young people (a) in grades 2/3; (b) at the end of primary; and (c) at the end of lower secondary achieving at least a minimum proficiency level in (i) reading and (ii) mathematics, by sex

4.1.2

Completion rate (primary education, lower secondary education, upper secondary education)

4.2

By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care and pre-primary education so that they are ready for primary education

4.2.1

Proportion of children aged 24–59 months who are developmentally on track in health, learning and psychosocial well-being, by sex

4.2.2

Participation rate in organized learning (one year before the official primary entry age), by sex

4.3

By 2030, ensure equal access for all women and men to affordable and quality technical, vocational and tertiary education, including university

4.3.1

Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal education and training in the previous 12 months, by sex

4.4

By 2030, substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship

4.4.1

Proportion of youth and adults with information and communications technology (ICT) skills, by type of skill

4.5

By 2030, eliminate gender disparities in education and ensure equal access to all levels of education and vocational training for the vulnerable, including persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples and children in vulnerable situations

4.5.1

Parity indices (female/male, rural/urban, bottom/top wealth quintile and others such as disability status, indigenous peoples and conflict-affected, as data become available) for all education indicators on this list that can be disaggregated

4.6

By 2030, ensure that all youth and a substantial proportion of adults, both men and women, achieve literacy and numeracy

4.6.1

Proportion of population in a given age group achieving at least a fixed level of proficiency in functional (a) literacy and (b) numeracy skills, by sex

4.7

By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable development

4.7.1

Extent to which (i) global citizenship education and (ii) education for sustainable development are mainstreamed in (a) national education policies; (b) curricula; (c) teacher education and (d) student assessment

4.a

Build and upgrade education facilities that are child, disability and gender sensitive and provide safe, non-violent, inclusive and effective learning environments for all

4.a.1

Proportion of schools offering basic services, by type of service

4.b

By 2020, substantially expand globally the number of scholarships available to developing countries, in particular least developed countries, small island developing States and African countries, for enrolment in higher education, including vocational training and information and communications technology, technical, engineering and scientific programmes, in developed countries and other developing countries

4.b.1

Volume of official development assistance flows for scholarships by sector and type of study

4.c

By 2030, substantially increase the supply of qualified teachers, including through international cooperation for teacher training in developing countries, especially least developed countries and small island developing States

4.c.1

Proportion of teachers with the minimum required qualifications, by education level

Goal 5

Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls

5.1

End all forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhere

5.1.1

Whether or not legal frameworks are in place to promote, enforce and monitor equality and non‑discrimination on the basis of sex

5.2

Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres, including trafficking and sexual and other types of exploitation

5.2.1

Proportion of ever-partnered women and girls aged 15 years and older subjected to physical, sexual or psychological violence by a current or former intimate partner in the previous 12 months, by form of violence and by age

5.2.2

Proportion of women and girls aged 15 years and older subjected to sexual violence by persons other than an intimate partner in the previous 12 months, by age and place of occurrence

5.3

Eliminate all harmful practices, such as child, early and forced marriage and female genital mutilation

5.3.1

Proportion of women aged 20-24 years who were married or in a union before age 15 and before age 18

5.3.2

Proportion of girls and women aged 15-49 years who have undergone female genital mutilation/cutting, by age

5.4

Recognize and value unpaid care and domestic work through the provision of public services, infrastructure and social protection policies and the promotion of shared responsibility within the household and the family as nationally appropriate

5.4.1

Proportion of time spent on unpaid domestic and care work, by sex, age and location

5.5

Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic and public life

5.5.1

Proportion of seats held by women in (a) national parliaments and (b) local governments

5.5.2

Proportion of women in managerial positions

5.6

Ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights as agreed in accordance with the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development and the Beijing Platform for Action and the outcome documents of their review conferences

5.6.1

Proportion of women aged 15-49 years who make their own informed decisions regarding sexual relations, contraceptive use and reproductive health care

5.6.2

Number of countries with laws and regulations that guarantee full and equal access to women and men aged 15 years and older to sexual and reproductive health care, information and education

5.a

Undertake reforms to give women equal rights to economic resources, as well as access to ownership and control over land and other forms of property, financial services, inheritance and natural resources, in accordance with national laws

5.a.1

(a) Proportion of total agricultural population with ownership or secure rights over agricultural land, by sex; and (b) share of women among owners or rights-bearers of agricultural land, by type of tenure

5.a.2

Proportion of countries where the legal framework (including customary law) guarantees women’s equal rights to land ownership and/or control

5.b

Enhance the use of enabling technology, in particular information and communications technology, to promote the empowerment of women

5.b.1

Proportion of individuals who own a mobile telephone, by sex

5.c

Adopt and strengthen sound policies and enforceable legislation for the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls at all levels

5.c.1

Proportion of countries with systems to track and make public allocations for gender equality and women’s empowerment

Goal 9

Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation

9.1

Develop quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure, including regional and transborder infrastructure, to support economic development and human well-being, with a focus on affordable and equitable access for all

9.1.1

Proportion of the rural population who live within 2 km of an all-season road

9.1.2

Passenger and freight volumes, by mode of transport

9.2

Promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and, by 2030, significantly raise industry’s share of employment and gross domestic product, in line with national circumstances, and double its share in least developed countries

9.2.1

Manufacturing value added as a proportion of GDP and per capita

9.2.2

Manufacturing employment as a proportion of total employment

9.3

Increase the access of small-scale industrial and other enterprises, in particular in developing countries, to financial services, including affordable credit, and their integration into value chains and markets

9.3.1

Proportion of small-scale industries in total industry value added

9.3.2

Proportion of small-scale industries with a loan or line of credit

9.4

By 2030, upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable, with increased resource-use efficiency and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies and industrial processes, with all countries taking action in accordance with their respective capabilities

9.4.1

CO₂emission per unit of value added

9.5

Enhance scientific research, upgrade the technological capabilities of industrial sectors in all countries, in particular developing countries, including, by 2030, encouraging innovation and substantially increasing the number of research and development workers per 1 million people and public and private research and development spending

9.5.1

Research and development expenditure as a proportion of GDP

9.5.2

Researchers (in full-time equivalent) per million inhabitants

9.a

Facilitate sustainable and resilient infrastructure development in developing countries through enhanced financial, technological and technical support to African countries, least developed countries, landlocked developing countries and small island developing States

9.a.1

Total official international support (official development assistance plus other official flows) to infrastructure

9.b

Support domestic technology development, research and innovation in developing countries, including by ensuring a conducive policy environment for, inter alia, industrial diversification and value addition to commodities

9.b.1

Proportion of medium and high-tech industry value added in total value added

9.c

Significantly increase access to information and communications technology and strive to provide universal and affordable access to the Internet in least developed countries by 2020

9.c.1

Proportion of population covered by a mobile network, by technology

Goal 17

Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development

17.1

Strengthen domestic resource mobilization, including through international support to developing countries, to improve domestic capacity for tax and other revenue collection

17.1.1

Total government revenue as a proportion of GDP, by source

17.1.2

Proportion of domestic budget funded by domestic taxes

17.2

Developed countries to implement fully their official development assistance commitments, including the commitment by many developed countries to achieve the target of 0.7 per cent of ODA/GNI to developing countries and 0.15 to 0.20 per cent of ODA/GNI to least developed countries; ODA providers are encouraged to consider setting a target to provide at least 0.20 per cent of ODA/GNI to least developed countries

17.2.1

Net official development assistance, total and to least developed countries, as a proportion of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Development Assistance Committee donors’ gross national income (GNI)

17.3

Mobilize additional financial resources for developing countries from multiple sources

17.3.1

Additional financial resources mobilized for developing countries from multiple sources

17.3.2

Volume of remittances (in United States dollars) as a proportion of total GDP

17.4

Assist developing countries in attaining long-term debt sustainability through coordinated policies aimed at fostering debt financing, debt relief and debt restructuring, as appropriate, and address the external debt of highly indebted poor countries to reduce debt distress

17.4.1

Debt service as a proportion of exports of goods and services

17.5

Adopt and implement investment promotion regimes for least developed countries

17.5.1

Number of countries that adopt and implement investment promotion regimes for developing countries, including the least developed countries

17.6

Enhance North-South, South-South and triangular regional and international cooperation on and access to science, technology and innovation and enhance knowledge sharing on mutually agreed terms, including through improved coordination among existing mechanisms, in particular at the United Nations level, and through a global technology facilitation mechanism

17.6.1

Fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabitants, by speed

17.7

Promote the development, transfer, dissemination and diffusion of environmentally sound technologies to developing countries on favourable terms, including on concessional and preferential terms, as mutually agreed

17.7.1

Total amount of funding for developing countries to promote the development, transfer, dissemination and diffusion of environmentally sound technologies

17.8

Fully operationalize the technology bank and science, technology and innovation capacity-building mechanism for least developed countries by 2017 and enhance the use of enabling technology, in particular information and communications technology

17.8.1

Proportion of individuals using the Internet

17.9

Enhance international support for implementing effective and targeted capacity-building in developing countries to support national plans to implement all the Sustainable Development Goals, including through North-South, South-South and triangular cooperation

17.9.1

Dollar value of financial and technical assistance (including through North-South, South‑South and triangular cooperation) committed to developing countries

17.10

Promote a universal, rules-based, open, non-discriminatory and equitable multilateral trading system under the World Trade Organization, including through the conclusion of negotiations under its Doha Development Agenda

17.10.1

Worldwide weighted tariff-average

17.11

Significantly increase the exports of developing countries, in particular with a view to doubling the least developed countries’ share of global exports by 2020

17.11.1

Developing countries’ and least developed countries’ share of global exports

17.12

Realize timely implementation of duty-free and quota-free market access on a lasting basis for all least developed countries, consistent with World Trade Organization decisions, including by ensuring that preferential rules of origin applicable to imports from least developed countries are transparent and simple, and contribute to facilitating market access

17.12.1

Weighted average tariffs faced by developing countries, least developed countries and small island developing States

17.13

Enhance global macroeconomic stability, including through policy coordination and policy coherence

17.13.1

Macroeconomic Dashboard

17.14

Enhance policy coherence for sustainable development

17.14.1

Number of countries with mechanisms in place to enhance policy coherence of sustainable development

17.15

Respect each country’s policy space and leadership to establish and implement policies for poverty eradication and sustainable development

17.15.1

Extent of use of country-owned results frameworks and planning tools by providers of development cooperation

17.16

Enhance the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development, complemented by multi-stakeholder partnerships that mobilize and share knowledge, expertise, technology and financial resources, to support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals in all countries, in particular developing countries

17.16.1

Number of countries reporting progress in multi-stakeholder development effectiveness monitoring frameworks that support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals

17.17

Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships, building on the experience and resourcing strategies of partnerships

17.17.1

Amount in United States dollars committed to public-private partnerships for infrastructure

17.18

By 2020, enhance capacity-building support to developing countries, including for least developed countries and small island developing States, to increase significantly the availability of high-quality, timely and reliable data disaggregated by income, gender, age, race, ethnicity, migratory status, disability, geographic location and other characteristics relevant in national contexts

17.18.1

Statistical capacity indicators

17.18.2

Number of countries that have national statistical legislation that complies with the Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics

17.18.3

Number of countries with a national statistical plan that is fully funded and under implementation, by source of funding

17.19

By 2030, build on existing initiatives to develop measurements of progress on sustainable development that complement gross domestic product, and support statistical capacity-building in developing countries

17.19.1

Dollar value of all resources made available to strengthen statistical capacity in developing countries

17.19.2

Proportion of countries that (a) have conducted at least one population and housing census in the last 10 years; and (b) have achieved 100 per cent birth registration and 80 per cent death registration

SDG 14 targets covered

Name	Description

Deliverables & Timeline

31 December, 2025

Establish and operationalize a digital repository system to house locally produced research outputs from CUUL member institutions: The CUUL National repository will be accessible to both local and international researchers, promoting knowledge sharing.

31 December, 2026

Subscribe to premium resources and conduct a series of training workshops to enhance librarian skills in digital resource management, data curation, and user-centric service delivery.

15 October, 2025

Expand the CUUL International Annual Conference to attract global participation, providing a platform for SDG-related knowledge sharing, best practices, and policy recommendations.

31 December, 2027

Establish 10 pilot public access libraries in underserved communities across Uganda, equipped with ICT tools and open-access resources to support lifelong learning and community development.

Resources mobilized

Financing (in USD)

CUUL has a consolidated fund pooling contributions from CUUL member institutions and international partners estimated at 200,000 USD annually

Staff / Technical expertise

Librarians, ICT specialists, researchers, and project coordinators from CUUL member institutions and partner organisations.

In-kind contribution

Over 500 trained librarians to facilitate resource sharing, manage digital repositories, and deliver training programs. Dedicated project management team for conference organisation and public library development.

Other, please specify

Donated technologies from partners like SPIDER, RENU, and EIFL, supplemented by CUUL funds. Access to global best practices, open-access resources, and training curricula provided by international partners.

Partnership Progress

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Feedback

Action Network

Timeline

06 January 2025 (start date)

31 January 2027 (date of completion)

Entity

Consortium of Uganda University Libraries (CUUL)

SDGs

4 5 9 17

Region

Africa

Other beneficiaries

Direct Beneficiaries: Students and Researchers, Academic and Research Institutions, Librarians and Library Staff Indirect Beneficiaries: Local Communities, Government Agencies, Private Sector Entities, International Development Partners, Public Libraries and Associations Global Beneficiaries: Global Research Community, International Publishers and Collaborators

More information

https://cuul.or.ug/

Countries

Uganda

Contact Information

Andrew, Executive Chairman, Consortium of Uganda University Libraries (CUUL)

andrew.ojulong@gmail.com