UWC researchers are encouraged to make use of Kikapu, UWC’s online institutional research data repository. It serves as a publishing and access platform for research data and scholarly outputs, and it simplifies the process of making data FAIR. Moreover, it has been shown that sharing data increases citations and boosts research metrics.
Kikapu is powered by Figshare for Institutions and is available to all students and staff at UCT. To login, UWC users simply use their UWC username and password.
Digital outputs uploaded to Kikapu get their own DOI (Digital Object Identifier), which is a secure and persistent identifier. This makes it easier for researchers to comply with institutional, NRF and other funder requirements. Once data is uploaded, researchers can assign licenses and control how their research outputs are accessed.
To learn more about uploading and publishing research data with Kikapu, consult the Kikapu Data Deposit Guidelines
For further assistance with using Kikapu, contact rdm-support@uwc.ac.za
After uploading to Kikapu, data/datasets go into review by a data curator before being published on the platform. They will check the metadata of the submitted item/s and, if appropriate, offer suggestions on how it may be improved upon for optimal citability, discoverability, integrity and reusability.
UWC-Specific FAQs
Are all UWC students and staff members able to create a Kikapu profile?
Yes, as long as the user has a @uwc.ac.za (staff) or @myuwc.ac.za (students) account, they will be able to create a Kikapu profile by logging in with their UWC network credentials at https://kikapu.uwc.ac.za.
Are my Kikapu credentials the same as my UWC network (i.e. iKamva) Credentials?
Yes, they are, since Kikapu uses UWC network crecredentials (i.e. username and password). UWC network passwords can be reset at https://mypassword.uwc.ac.za.
Can I collaborate on a Kikapu project with people external to UWC?
Yes, external (non-UWC) users can collaborate on projects on Kikapu. Read more about collaborating with external users here.
Does Kikapu store different types of files, like audio and images?
You can store any kind of digital media formats on Kikapu.
Go to Figshare’s Help Pages to ask more specific questions.