DOCiD™ Gets a Major Infrastructure Upgrade Through UbuntuNet Alliance Partnership

Nairobi, Kenya/Lilongwe, Malawi —Training Centre in Communication (TCC Africa) and the Ubuntu Alliance have signed an MoU to support TCC Africa’s  key Open Infrastructure program- The Africa PID Alliance. The primary objective of the MoU is to scale the Digital Object Container Identifer- DOCiD™   persistent identifier (PID) more accessible to research and cultural institutions across the continent.

As DOCiD™ gains traction among universities, museums, and research centers, the platform needs infrastructure that can support its growing use. UbuntuNet Alliance will provide regionally distributed infrastructure to ensure DOCiD™ remains reliable, responsive and able to serve institutions across Africa over the long term.

DOCiD™ is actively collaborating with universities across Africa to integrate its Digital Object Container Identifier system into research and knowledge management workflows. These integration use cases are enabling institutions to enhance the discoverability, traceability, and interoperability of their research outputs while supporting ethical and FAIR-compliant data practices. By embedding DOCiD into university systems, we are creating a foundation for trusted, cross-border,  research infrastructure that empowers academics, administrators, and policymakers alike.

“This partnership allows us to scale DOCiD™ on robust, regionally distributed infrastructure while remaining firmly African-led. Together with UbuntuNet Alliance, we are ensuring that African institutions, regardless of their current technical capacity, can protect and track their research and cultural heritage,” remarked Joy Owango, Africa PID Alliance Project Lead.

“UbuntuNet Alliance is proud to support TCC Africa and the Africa PID Alliance in scaling the DOCiD™ platform across the continent. Persistent identifiers are a critical component of trusted, interoperable research infrastructure, and this partnership ensures that African institutions can access reliable, regionally hosted services that meet global standards while remaining rooted in Africa. By providing distributed infrastructure for DOCiD™, we are strengthening the foundation for secure, discoverable, and FAIR-aligned research and cultural outputs and reinforcing our shared commitment to keeping African knowledge within African systems.”  Prof. Madara Ogot, UbuntuNet Alliance CEO. 

For many institutions across Africa, particularly those without existing repositories or dedicated technical infrastructure, DOCiD™ provides a practical way to assign persistent identifiers and manage their digital and cultural records. Hosting the platform within UbuntuNet Alliance’s regional infrastructure ensures that these services remain accessible, reliable and rooted within African research networks.

The partnership also creates opportunities for joint technical collaboration and capacity strengthening, supporting institutions as they adopt persistent identifiers and strengthen their digital research and knowledge management systems.

Ultimately, this partnership ensures that African institutions have the infrastructure needed to manage, preserve, and share their research and cultural outputs, while keeping control of African knowledge within African systems.

For more information about the Africa PID Alliance and the DOCiD™ platform, please visit:

DOCiD™ Website: https://docid.africapidalliance.org/

Africa PID Alliance Website: https://africapidalliance.org/ 

To learn more about the UbuntuNet Alliance, visit: https://ubuntunet.net/