Between 13 and 17 October 2025 , the International School for Social and Business Studies (ISSBS) hosted a joint study visit of the FOSTER and UPSCALE projects in Slovenia.
The event brought together representatives from Kenya, Tanzania, Europe, and other regions , offering a vibrant platform for collaboration, exchange of experiences, and joint promotion of open science and academic excellence.

The FOSTER project (Fostering Open Science in Higher Education and Research in Africa) aims to strengthen capacities in open science, open access publishing, data management, and institutional policy development.

During the study visit, participants met with key Slovenian institutions, including:

  • Central Technical Library (CTK)
  • NAKVIS (Slovenian Quality Assurance Agency)
  • Rog Center, Ljubljana
  • University of Primorska and EMUNI University (Piran)
  • Savinjska Region Incubator
  • ISSBS (Celje)
  • Vocational College for Catering, Wellness and Tourism Bled

The five-day program spanned Ljubljana, Celje, Koper, Piran, and Bled , combining discussions, study sessions, and networking opportunities.
Participants exchanged insights on implementing open science principles , building open access infrastructure , and integrating open science into institutional and national frameworks .

The visit successfully fostered dialogue between African and European higher education representatives, laying the groundwork for future cooperation in open and responsible research.

🔗 The FOSTER project is co-funded by the Erasmus+ Program of the European Union