LUANAR Vice Chancellor, Professor Emmanuel Kaunda, says postgraduate students play a crucial role in strengthening university research and innovation. Professor Kaunda made the remarks on Thursday, 7th November, 2024 during a recent curriculum development workshop organized by LUANAR’s Centre for Continuing Education and Professional Development (CCEPD).
In his remarks, Professor Kaunda described postgraduate students as "the ones that make universities unique and strong." He also underscored the need for innovation in postgraduate research, advocating for a more practical approach to training.
“We need innovations from the postgraduate research output and also we should take a practical approach,” he added. This emphasis on practical skills is intended to not only boost the quality of research but also ensure that findings are effectively applied within and beyond the academic community.
Addressing the challenges of low publication output among both students and faculty, Professor Kaunda stated, “We are simply not publishing enough, and that affects our growth as an academic institution.”
To combat this issue, LUANAR through CCEPD is launching five specialized short courses aimed at enhancing research productivity and improving postgraduate throughput. These courses, which are Postgraduate Supervision, Academic Writing Skills, Scientific Writing and Publishing, Research Proposal Writing, and Data Management, Analysis, and Reporting, are designed to equip postgraduate students, supervisors, and program coordinators with the necessary skills to excel in their academic endeavors.
The newly developed courses are expected to have a significant positive impact on the university’s postgraduate programs. By enhancing the competencies of both students and their mentors, LUANAR aims to increase the rate at which postgraduate students complete their studies and contribute to a higher volume of quality research publications.
This initiative aligns with CCEPD’s mission to foster professional development and lifelong learning, reinforcing LUANAR’s commitment to creating a research-conducive environment.