OSSREA is a 18-member regional organization for Eastern and Southern African researchers and scholars. OSSREA is housed at the University of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. OSSREA was established in April 1980 by a group of Eastern African researchers and university lecturers. Although OSSREA was originally an Eastern African research organisation, it has, however, recently opened its membership to Southern African researchers. As an organisation, OSSREA is a member-accountable body that promotes participatory research. The organisation is also gender conscious and adheres to researching relevant and contemporary development-related research of excellent quality.
- encourage and promote interest in the study of and research in the social sciences in the region;
- promote collaborative research and facilitate scholarly exchange of ideas and publications between individuals and institutions;
- promote training of African scholars in the study of and research in the social sciences;
- work in close co-operation with other individuals and institutions in Africa and elsewhere in the world engaged in the study of the social sciences and finally;
- establish special funds to be used for purposes of providing research grants and training fellowships.
To fulfil these varied objectives, OSSREA activities include: Social science-related workshops, research methods workshops, special research needs workshops and general conventions held every three years, publication of the Eastern Africa Social Science Research Review, OSSREA Newsletter, OSSREA Occasional Papers and OSSREA Book Series and Research Competitions focusing on general social science and gender themes.
Four years ago, the Zimbabwe OSSREA Chapter affiliate organised a two day National Workshop funded by OSSREA Head Office. The theme of this workshop was "The Indigenisation of the Zimbabwe Economy". The workshop was a resounding success and some papers were later published in the OSSREA referred journal of Eastern Africa Social Science Research Review.
In keeping with the OSSREA mandate, the Zimbabwe Chapter organised the one-day seminar to highlight the activities of OSSREA as well as discuss contemporary social science issues of the day, with a specific focus on participatory development and democracy, within the context of national development.
