Prof. Peter Gatiti to speak at XXVII SCECSAL Conference in Livingstone

Prof. Peter Gatiti

As the XXVII SCECSAL Conference (27 April – 1 May 2026) at the Avani Victoria Falls Resort in Livingstone, Zambia, fast approaches, one of the standout voices to watch is Prof. Peter Gatiti,  a scholar and LIS professional whose career bridges continents and disciplines in the most compelling way.

Prof. Gatiti serves as Associate Vice-Provost and University Librarian at Aga Khan University (AKU), overseeing a network of 12 libraries across six countries, including Pakistan, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and the UK. He holds a PhD in Information Systems from the University of Bolton, an MSc in Information Systems from Leeds Metropolitan University, and a Bachelor's degree in Library and Information Studies from Loughborough University.

His academic journey has been further enriched and strengthened through high-level professional training. He is a fellow of the Mortenson Center for International Library Programs at the University of Illinois and has trained at the Leadership Institute for Academic Librarians at Harvard Graduate School of Education, as well as at the Summer School on Bibliometrics and Research Impact at Western University in Canada.

Prof. Gatiti's research spans digital libraries, health informatics, knowledge management, bibliometrics, and scholarly communication. Notably, he was leading a team of researchers from Aga Khan University in implementing a Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights repository, a project funded by WHO, a testament to the real-world impact of his work.

As a prominent voice in the profession, Prof. Gatiti has noted that the global trend now heavily favours electronic resources over printed materials, necessitating librarians to significantly expand their skill sets into data science and information management.

Beyond research, Prof. Gatiti serves as Chairperson of the Kenya Library Association (KLA) and as a standing committee member of IFLA's Statistics and Evaluation Section, connecting African librarianship to the global stage.

At the conference in Livingstone, he will present on “Copyright Competencies of Academic Librarians in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Systematic Review,” a timely contribution as institutions across the continent navigate digital access, intellectual property, and open knowledge in an ever-changing information environment increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence.

Register today and join more than 400 delegates at a conference that will serve as a platform for dialogue, innovation, and collaboration for LIS professionals.

Don't miss the opportunity to engage with Prof. Gatiti.

Visit the conference website at - https://conference.scecsal.org/