Dr Forget Chaterera Zambuko

Research Interests

My research interests revolve around enhancing the accessibility and utilization of documentary heritage in archival institutions and museums. I've developed a framework to improve access and use, focusing on bibliographic, intellectual, and physical aspects. Presently, I'm investigating blockchain technology's adoption in records management, aiming to encourage professionals to embrace disruptive technologies. Moreover, I'm addressing challenges related to displaced archives, particularly focusing on repatriation issues using alternative justice approaches. Lastly, I'm exploring the integration of records management into museum collections policies to ensure the security, accessibility, and meaning of artifacts. Through these studies, I aim to provide innovative solutions to enhance practices in archival institutions and museums, ensuring the preservation and accessibility of cultural heritage in an evolving landscape.

PhD in

• Information Science

Research Collaborations Grants and Funded Research Projects

• 2013-2019: Participated in Phase 4 of the International Research on Permanent Authentic Records in Electronic Systems (InterPARES) as Zimbabwe’s research leader. The objectives of the project was to generate the theoretical and methodological frameworks that will support the development of integrated and consistent local, national and international networks of policies, procedures, regulations, standards and legislation concerning digital records entrusted to the Internet. InterPARES is comprised of research teams from North America, Europe, Latin America, Asia. Australasia, Africa and Transnational team
• 2019: Participated in the International Council on Archive’s Africa Programme's Digital Records Curation Programme held in Gaborone, Botswana. The programme facilitators were James Lowry and Margaret Crocket, both from the International Council on Archives. Programme participants were archival educators from Botswana, South Africa, Namibia, Kenya, Zambia, Nigeria, Tanzania, Sierra Leone and I represented Zimbabwe. The digital curation study programme won the 2020 Digital Preservation Awards by the Dutch Digital Heritage Network for Teaching and Communications and the 2020 United States National Digital Stewardship Alliance Innovation Award (Category: Educators)
• 2013-2015: Collaborated in the Public programming of archives in East and Southern Africa. The goal of the project was to develop and implement a framework that will enable public archives in East and Southern Africa to widen their reach into society. Many people are unaware of the wealth of information found in the archives, hopefully public programming initiatives can get more people interested to make use of these valuable resources

Conference presentations

Chaterera-Zambuko, F. 2024. Global Horizons: Exploring Study Abroad and PhD Opportunities in Archival Science. Organized by Archival Educators Section and International Archival Affairs Section, Society of American Archivists, 05 March
• Chaterera-Zambuko, F. 2023. Greening Information Management: A Case of the UAE. Paper presented during The United Nations Climate Change Conference COP28, Dubai, UAE 07 December 2023
• Chaterera-Zambuko, F. 2023. A Proposed Model for ECM System Implementation through the Lenses of the National Library and Archives of the United Arab Emirates. Paper presented at the 3rd International Conference on Advanced Enterprise Information System, London, UK 01 to 03 December 2023
• Chaterera-Zambuko, F. 2023. Greening Information Management: A Case of the UAE. Paper presented during the ICA Congress Abu Dhabi, UAE 09 to 13 October 2023
• Chaterera-Zambuko, F & M’kulama, A. 2023. Digital curation education, policies and strategies: Reflections from the United Arab Emirates and Zambia. Paper presented during the ICA Congress Abu Dhabi, UAE 09 to 13 October 2023
• Chaterera-Zambuko, F. 2023. Displaced archives and emotions. aper presented during the ICA Congress Abu Dhabi, UAE 09 to 13 October 2023
• Chaterera-Zambuko, F. 2023. Digital preservation. Paper presented during the Twelfth General Assembly of the Caribbean Archives Association (CARBICA). 26-28 April
• Chaterera-Zambuko, F; Masuku, M; Kabata, V & Ali, A. 2023. Managing Electronic Health Records through AI. Paper presented at the 7th InterPARES International Plenary on AI in records and archives of management. Abu Dhabi, UAE 21 to 23 February 2023
• Chaterera-Zambuko, F. 2022. Taking stock of records and information management in Abu Dhabi’s Institutions of Higher Learning. Paper presented at ADEK 2nd Higher Education Excellence Conference on Disruptions in Higher Education: Relevance, Resilience and Credibility. Abu Dhabi, UAE 16 November 2022
• Chaterera-Zambuko, F. & Lowry, J. 2022. Lost Unities. The Materiality of the Migrated Archive. Paper presented at an Interdisciplinary Workshop on From Archival Pasts to Archival Futures: Epistemologies, Decolonization and Displacement, Accra, Ghana 9 to 12 November 2022
• Chaterera-Zambuko, F. 2022. Disputed Archival Heritage: Repatriation claims and shared heritage. Paper presented at the Society of American Archivists: Archives and Records General Meeting, Boston, USA 25 to 27 August 2022
• Chaterera-Zambuko, F. 2022. Guest speaker for the launch of the 1st Issue of the National Archives of Malta Monograph Series (NAMms) 14 July 2022
• Chaterera-Zambuko, F. 2022. Use case analysis of Enterprise Content Management system adoption at the National Library and Archives of United Arab Emirates Icarus Convention #28 – Archives privées et archives publiques au XXIe siècle / Private and public archives in the 21st c. Aubervilliers, France, 23-25 May 2022
• Chaterera-Zambuko, F. 2022. Places as provenance. Symposium organised by The Archival Technologies Lab at the City University of New York and the School of Information Management at Dalhousie University
• Chaterera-Zambuko, F & Lowry, J. 2021. Lost unities. Poster to be presented at an International Conference Solidarity in Culture: Heritage Protection under conditions of crisis. Zagreb, Croatia 18 to 20 March 2021
• Chaterera-Zambuko, F. 2021. Pursuing the issue of migrated archives in the wake of emerging and disrupting technologies. Paper to be presented at the International Council on Archives Congress. Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 19 to 22 October 2021
• Chaterera-Zambuko, F. 2020. Conservation of museums and archival heritage. Paper presented a two-day international Webinar titled ‘Histories and Heritage (Journey through Archives, Museums and Arts.’ New Dehli, India 27 to 28 November 2020
• Chaterera-Zambuko, F & Katuu, S. 2019. The integrity and authenticity of records: Is blockchain the answer? Paper presented at the 3rd Records and Archives Management Conference on ‘Records Management and Sustainable Development’. Mombasa, Kenya 4-6 November 2019
• Chaterera-Zambuko, F. 2019. Archives and society. Presentation made under the New Professionals Programme at the International Council on Archives Conference on Designing the Archives. Adelaide, Australia 20-25 October 2019
• Chaterera-Zambuko, F. 2019. Block chain technology and the potential implications for records management. Paper presented at the 25th ESARBICA Conference on “on Archives & Records: yesterday, today and tomorrow – celebration of golden jubilee Gaborone, Botswana, 9-13 September 2019
• Chaterera-Zambuko, F. 2019. Records management as an anticorruption device in Zimbabwe’s City Councils. Paper presented at a conference on Sustainable Economic Transformation, Innovation and Governance in Emerging Economies. 6-8 February 2019-Gweru, Zimbabwe
• Chaterera, F & Ngulube, P. 2018. The Challenges and Prospects of Accessing and Using Documentary Heritage: Global Perspectives. Paper presented at the International Conference on Communication and Information Science (ICCIS): Safeguarding Cultural Heritage for Sustainable Development. 21-23 August 2018-Harare, Zimbabwe
• Chaterera, F. 2018. Managing local government records: towards curbing corruption. Paper presented at the Regional Conference: Corruption and the Challenge of Economic Transformation in Southern Africa. 18-20 June 2018-Gaborone, Botswana
• Chaterera, F; Masuku, M & Bhebhe, S. 2017. Integrating Enterprise Content Management Systems to manage digital records in Zimbabwe’s Government Ministries. Paper presented at the InterPARES International Seminar, 4-7 December 2017-Cape Town, South Africa
• Chaterera, F. 2017. A discourse on the physical barriers to accessing the documentary heritage at the National Archives of Zimbabwe. Paper presented at the 2017 International Workshop on “Maintaining the Facts Infrastructure in the Era of Post-Truth Politics”, 19-20 September 2017-Stockholm, Sweden
• Chaterera, F. 2017. Problematising the semantics of selected research methodology terms. Paper presented at the International Conference on Communication and Information Science in a Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Environment, 21-25 August 2017-Kariba, Zimbabwe
• Chaterera, F; Ngulube, P & Rodrigues, A. 2017. A framework for access and use of the public documentary heritage at the National Archives of Zimbabwe paper presented at the 24th ESARBICA conference on “public sector reforms: transparency and accountability”, 7-11 August 2017-Lilongwe, Malawi
• Chaterera, F; Masuku, M & Bhebhe, S. 2017. Integrating Enterprise Content Management Systems to manage digital records in Zimbabwe’s Government Ministries. Paper presented at the South African Society of Archivists Conference, 4-7 July 2017-Cape Town, South Africa
• Chaterera, F. 2016. Trends in collaboration between the public archives and museums in Zimbabwe. Paper presented at the International Council on Archives “Archives, Harmony & Friendship”. 5-10 September 2016 at COEX, Seoul, Republic of South Korea
• Chaterera, F. 2016. Underlining the value of documentation and archival records in conserving architectural heritage: a look into the Naletale National Monument 2014 restorations. Paper presented at the 6th International Conference on Communication & Information Science in the Digital Era 24-26 August 2016-Great-Zimbabwe, Masvingo
• Wutete, O & Chaterera, F. 2016. Virtual reality Paper presented at the 6th International Conference on Communication & Information Science in the Digital Era 24-26 August 2016 – Great Zimbabwe, Masvingo.
• Chaterera, F. 2016. Interrogating the place of a record in giving life, meaning and security to archaeological artefacts in museums. Poster presented at the 5th Annual Unisa Student Research and Innovation Showcase 17-19 August 2016, Pretoria South Africa
• Chaterera, F. 2016. In pursuit of increased access levels: should archivists continue to preach to the same crowd? Paper presented at the South African Society of Archivists Annual Conference 5-7 July 2016 Mafikeng, South Africa
• Chaterera, F. 2015. Thinking beyond an archaeological survey unit to a national repository: advancing the plight of archaeological archives in Zimbabwe. Paper presented at the Biennial Conference of the Association for Southern Africa Professional Archaeologists (ASAPA). Harare, University of Zimbabwe, 1-3 July 2015
• Chaterera, F. 2015. Promoting the intra and inter-generational equity principle through archival reference services. Paper presented at the 23rd General Conference of the Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Branch of the International Council on Archives. Victoria Falls-Zimbabwe, 8-12 June 2015
• Ngulube, P; Ngoepe, M ;Saurombe, N & Chaterera, F. 2015. Towards a uniform strategy for taking archives to the people in South Africa: can we really build the Tower of Babel? Paper presented at the 23rd General Conference of the Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Branch of the International Council on Archives. Victoria Falls-Zimbabwe, 8-12 June 2015
• Chaterera, F. 2015. The Dynamics of Cultural Heritage and Sustainable Development in Zimbabwe Paper presented at the African Heritage Challenges: Development and Sustainability. Cambridge-England, 15-16 May 2015
• Murambiwa, I & Chaterera, F. 2014. Records management and the heritage sector. Paper presented at the Zimbabwe Association of Professional Archaeologists and Related Disciplines. Great Zimbabwe, Masvingo-Zimbabwe, 12-14 December 2014
• Chaterera, F. 2014. Information and records management as tools for engagement and empowerment in museums. Paper presented at the Mutare Museum Golden Jubilee Symposium. Mutare-Zimbabwe 2-4 October 2014
• Chaterera, F. 2014. Evaluating the impact of World Heritage Listing at Khami World Heritage Site. Paper presented at the 14th Congress of the Pan African Archaeological Association. Johannesburg-South Africa, 12-19 July 2014
• Chaterera, F. 2014. Heading for a better understanding of outreach in the digital age: a look into the use of Web 2.0 as a communication tool by Zimbabwe’s public information centres. Paper presented at the South African Society of Archivists conference on public programming, outreach and advocacy. Mpumalanga-South Africa, 10-11 July 2014
• Chaterera, F. 2013. Fostering quality records management practices through records surveys. Poster presented at the 10th International Society for the Study of Behavioral Development Africa Regional Research Workshop on sustaining research excellence amongst early career African scholars. Pretoria-South Africa, 25-27 September 2013
• Chaterera, F & Nyawo, VZ. 2013. Managing public records in Zimbabwe: The road to good governance, accountability, transparency and effective service delivery. Paper presented at the Second Annual International Interdisciplinary Conference. Nairobi-Kenya 25-29 June 2013
• Chaterera, F; Ngulube, P & Rodrigues, A. 2013. Records surveys in support of a framework for managing public records in Zimbabwe. Paper presented at the 22nd General Conference of the Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Branch of the International Council on Archives. Nairobi-Kenya, 3-7 June 2013
• Chaterera, F & Nyawo, VZ. 2012. Decolonising the Museum: The case of Zimbabwe Military Museum in Gweru. Paper presented at the Oral Traditions Association of Zimbabwe Conference. Bulawayo-Zimbabwe, 7-8 December 2012
• Chaterera, F. 2012. Towards harnessing e-Government adoption in Zimbabwe. Paper presented at the South African Society of Archivists conference on archiving and digital continuity in the context of e-government in Sub Saharan Africa. Pretoria-South Africa, 12-13 July 2012

Publications Book chapters

• Lowry, J and Chaterera-Zambuko, F. Lost unities: the materiality of the migrated archives. In Breakell, S and Russell, W (eds). 2024. The Materiality of the Archive Creative Practice in Context. Routledge. ISBN 9780367206017.
• Chaterera-Zambuko, F; Masuku, M & Bhebhe, S. 2022. Digital records infrastructure in Botswana, Kenya, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. In Ngoepe, M (ed). 2022. Managing Digital Records in Africa. Routledge ISBN 9781003203155. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003203155
• Chaterera-Zambuko, F. 2022. Bring them back Please: A community courts approach for the Rhodesian Army Records. In: Lowry, J (ed). 2022. Disputed Archival Heritage. Routledge ISBN 9780367524012. Pp 120-134
• Chaterera-Zambuko, F. 2021. Bridging the geographical and language gaps to accessing archives through digital translation. In The National Archives’ Book of Selected Publications on Translation in the Digital Era between Modern Technologies and Challenges of Historical Text. National Archives, Abu Dhabi ISBN:978-9948-30-010-6
• Mosweu, O & Chaterera-Zambuko, F. 2021. Blockchain technology for records management in Botswana and Zimbabwe. In: Mahmood, Z (ed). 2021. Industry Use Cases on Blockchain Technology Applications in IoT and the Financial Sector
• Chaterera-Zambuko, F. 2020. The use of Grounded Theory in Researching Information Centres. In: Ngulube,P (ed). 2020. The handbook on research on connecting research methods for information science research. Hershey: Pp 139-158
• Chaterera, F & Ngulube, P. 2019. Global Perspectives on the Challenges and Prospects of Accessing and Using Documentary Heritage. In: Ngulube, P (ed). 2019. The handbook of research on advocacy, promotion, and public programming for memory institutions. Florida: Idea Group Inc Global: Pp 42-61
• Chaterera, F & Rodrigues, A. 2019. Use of Public Programming Strategies in Promoting Access to Documentary Heritage at Zimbabwe National Archives. In: Ngulube, P (ed). 2019. The handbook of research on advocacy, promotion, and public programming for memory institutions. Florida: Idea Group Inc Global: Pp 125-143
• Chaterera, F. 2017. The artefact with its record: towards a holistic approach in the management of collections in Zimbabwe Museums. In: Manyanga, M & Chirikure S. 2017. Archives, objects, places and landscapes: the multidisciplinary and decolonising imperative. Bamenda: Langaa Research and Publishing Common Initiative Group (Langaa RPCIG)

Academic articles

• Chaterera-Zambuko, F. 2023. Enterprise Content Management system implementation: insights from the National Library and Archives of UAE. Information Development Journal. https://doi.org/10.1177/02666669231211539
• Chaterera, F & Rodrigues, ADS. 2017. The physical barriers to accessing the documentary heritage at the National Archives of Zimbabwe. The International Council on Archives Journal, Comma 2: 83-90
• Ngulube, P; Ngoepe, M; Saurombe, N & Chaterera, F. 2017. Towards a uniform strategy for taking archives to the people in South Africa: can we really build the tower of babel? Journal of the Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Branch of the International Council on Archives 36: 63-82
• Chaterera, F. 2016. Managing public records in Zimbabwe: The road to good governance, accountability, transparency and effective service delivery. Journal of the South African Society of Archivists 49:116-136
• Mutsagondo, S. and Chaterera, F. 2016. Mirroring the National Archives of Zimbabwe Act in the context of electronic records lessons for ESARBICA member states. Information Development Journal 32(3) 254-259
• Chaterera, F. 2015. Promoting the inter-generational equity principle through archival reference services. ESARBICA Journal 34:65-75
• Chaterera, F. 2015. Heading for a better understanding of outreach in the digital age: a look into the use of Web 2.0 as a communication tool by Zimbabwe’s public information centres. Journal of the South African Society of Archivists (48) 21-33
• Chaterera, F. and Mutsagondo, S. 2015. Towards a complete documentary heritage of Zimbabwe. Whither oral history? Information Development Journal 30 (4) 1-8
• Chaterera, F. 2014. Beyond regress: museum records management in Zimbabwe. Journal of the South African Society of Archivists (47) 1-17
• Chaterera, F. & Nyawo, VZ. 2013. Decolonizing the museum: the case of Zimbabwe Military Museum in Gweru. International Research Journal of Art s and Social Science. 2(9) 213-219
• Chaterera, F; Ngulube, P & Rodrigues, A. 2014. Records surveys in support of a framework for managing public records in Zimbabwe. Information Development Journal 30(4) 366-377
• Chaterera, F. 2012. Towards harnessing e-government adoption in Zimbabwe. 2012. Mousaion: South African Journal of Information Studies 30(2) 78-93

Professional reports from project alliances

• Chaterera, F (Lead researcher); Masuku, M; Bhebhe, S; Ngoepe & Katuu, S. (2018). Enterprise digital records management in Zimbabwe. InterPARES Trust Project URL

Participation in Scientific Life

• November 2020: Appointed Editor for Archives and Records: The Journal of the Archives and Records Association
• 2019: Appointed an Editorial Board member for the Southern Africa’s Journal on Communication and Information Science

Awards

• Y2 Rated Researcher - National Research Foundation, South Africa (2020-2025)
• Winners of the 2020 Digital Preservation Awards by the Dutch Digital Heritage Network for Teaching and Communications
• Winners of the 2020 United States National Digital Stewardship Alliance Innovation Award (Category: Educators)
• Prize Winner 6th National University of Science and Technology Annual Research Day (Information and Communication Science Category), 2018
• 2nd Runner Up 5th Annual Unisa Student Research and Innovation Showcase (2016)
• Midlands State University Book Prize (Masters in Museum Studies, 2013)

Fellowships

• New Professional Programme - International Council on Archives (2019-2020)

Affiliations

• Member of International Council on Archives (ICA)
• Member of Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Branch of the International Council on Archives (ESARBICA)
• Member of Southern Africa’s Society of Archivists (SASA)
• Member of Archives and Records Association (ARA)
• Member of Zimbabwe Association of Professional Archaeologists and Related Disciplines (ZAPARD)