Research findings should be disseminated appropriately to address national issues — GBC boss

Director-General of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC), Prof Amin Alhassan has stressed the need for University graduate students and researchers' research findings to be disseminated appropriately to reach its target audience to address national issues for development.

“For a university that believes in knowledge for service, appropriate dissemination of the research findings should be a major concern because the importance of dissemination in research work beyond the academic platform is the only way to ensure that the knowledge acquired is put into practice,” he said.

This he noted would help policy makers and other stakeholders to identify issues on the ground and the resources needed for redress to bring about development in the respective communities to ensure national development.

Prof Amin made the call at the second edition of the University for Development Studies (UDS) Graduate School Annual Graduate Conference (AGC) held at the University’s Tamale campus multipurpose auditorium.

The two-day event in collaboration with the Graduate Students Association of Ghana (GRASAG) dubbed “Youth in Research for Sustainable Development” brought together researchers, academicians, graduate school students, lecturers, and stakeholders among others to grace the occasion.

It also allowed some departments, students and lecturers to present some research papers.

"Being the first University with the mandate to ensure that teaching and learning have the character of national development, we have the undeniable responsibility to lead the development research in Ghana," he said.

Managing Partner of ENS Africa, an African law firm, Amina Kaguah encouraged graduate students to focus on their studies in order to achieve their set goals and not get discouraged when the journey gets tough.

Pro-Vice Chancellor of UDS Professor Elliot Haruna Alhassan who represented the Vice Chancellor Prof Seidu Al-Hassan said the conference was a compliment of the University's annual harmattan school that provides students and researchers present their research works to draw the attention policymakers to varied development challenges confronting the region and the nation as well.

“The annual graduate conference is one of the most exciting innovative events designed specifically for postgraduate research students that seeks to create a platform to showcase outstanding postgraduate work in an immerging and accessible way to the wider university and the public,” he stated.

He reiterated the commitment of the University to building the capacity of students in research work to enable them fit into society after graduation.

Principal for UDS Nyankpala Campus Prof Mohammed Muniru Iddrisu commended management and the student leadership of the graduate school for the initiative in ensuring students have the opportunity to present some of their research and findings to society.

"As graduate students you need to channel your academic research work to have a great impact on society for national development," he said.

"With the research work that you do, you should try as much as possible to relate them to society and not limit it to research guide that is always found in the journals which do not yield anything," he advised.

"We spend lots of money for research and publications and at the end of it, society does not benefit from it," he added.

He urged the graduate students to endevour to set goals and get them achieved for a better future.