Prof. Eric Appau Asante calls for open access publishing at AAMUSTED Journals Launch

First reported by the University Relations Office of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. Prof. Eric Appau Asante, Director of E-Learning at KNUST, has urged academics and practitioners to adopt open access publishing as a way to secure Africa’s intellectual future.

Speaking at the launch of the Akenten Appiah Menka University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development Journals, he said universities must end the practice of locking knowledge behind paywalls and instead make it available to society at large.

Prof. Asante described open access not only as a publishing model but as a model of fairness. He argued that when knowledge is accessible, both scholars and ordinary citizens from artisans to farmers can benefit.

He drew attention to Africa’s “knowledge drain,” stressing that much of the wisdom of artisans, teachers, and innovators goes undocumented. He warned that if Africans do not publish their own knowledge, others will define the continent’s story.

According to him, technical and vocational education and training (TVET) and entrepreneurship are central to Africa’s development. However, he cautioned that skills without research guidance risk losing relevance, while entrepreneurship without knowledge will struggle to expand. Open access publishing, he said, can bridge this gap by connecting practical skills with innovation.

Reflecting on KNUST’s experience during the COVID-19 pandemic, Prof. Asante explained that digitised and widely accessible knowledge was what enabled teaching and learning to continue.

In the same way, he argued, open access journals can transform research by breaking down barriers and opening opportunities. He called on faculty to publish both successes and failures.

According to him, documenting failures is not wasted effort but guidance for others. He also encouraged scholars to view every publication as a seed that has the potential to shape the future.

The ceremony ended with the official inauguration of two journals: the Journal of Technical Education and Applied Sciences (JTEAS) and the Journal of Applied Social Sciences and Entrepreneurial Education (JASSEE).

Both are designed as open platforms to advance scholarship in TVET and entrepreneurial education in Ghana and beyond. The KNUST University Relations Office, which first reported the story, noted that Prof. Asante positioned open access as both a necessity and an opportunity.

Published: 10th September, 2025 Source: KNUST E-Learning Centre