Research Directorate hosted a three-day research annual review workshop at New Hall, Main Campus from 5th to 7th March, 2018; wherein key findings of over 131 completed and on-going projects were presented and feedbacks from stakeholders were noted. Click here to see the pictures.
Research Directorate Director, Dr Teshome Yirgu, said, this annual review workshop is aimed at analyzing completed and on-going projects at institute and college-level to take feedbacks from stakeholders; it will help us to know what is the real status.
Further, he adds that till date, Research Directorate across university has 62 completed projects that include spill-over from last year and as of now 194 projects are on-going. In this review on opening day, 9 best completed projects were discussed; while in the subsequent two days, Institute of Technology & Arba Minch Water Technology Institute had 24, College of Social Science & Humanities, 20, Business & Economics, 6, Agricultural Sciences, 12, Natural Sciences, 28, Medicine and Health Sciences, 20, and Sawla Campus 12 project presentations.
Research and Community Service Vice President, Dr Simon Shibru, welcoming the participants, said, to be the part of higher education institution is a matter of great pride for we have universal thinking and analytical capacity which needs to be utilized to find a solution for various societal problems. Diversity is our strength that has to be capitalized on to fill the pitfalls. Research, for me is the best avenue to approach and understand the issues and such august forum will certainly enable us to develop scientific strategy to deal with any impending malaise.
AMU President, Dr Damtew Darza, opening the annual review workshop, said, as we know the sole purpose of research is to seek solution for the societal problems. Therefore, research must always be of higher quality to produce knowledge that is applicable outside the research setting. Its result often has great implications for policy and future project intervention. And with increasing population and environmental constraints that we perceive in our immediate vicinity, the need for the well-organized and community-oriented research becomes paramount.
At the outset, the plenary presenter, Mr Yihunselam Asrat in his findings on ‘Crime: Risk factors and role of community organizations’ stated that indigenous knowledge and age-old experience with the community play crucial role in reducing crime at grass-root level. Thus community and community organization must be potential partner in crime reduction and prevention process. It will not only discourage criminal tendencies and but successfully curtail its prevalence.
Other two key-note presenters, Mr Enyew Deresse and Mr Lombebo Tagesse shared their findings on ‘Alternative dispute settlement in Gamo Gofa Zone’ and ‘Socio-Cultural and Institutional factors affecting gender mainstreaming’, respectively; followed by discussion.
Representatives from Wolaita Sodo, Wolkite, Wachamo, Hawassa, Jinka and Dilla universities, Arba Minch Agricultural Research Institute, Gamo Gofa Zone Agricultural & Rural Development Department, Nech Sar National Park, Crocodile Ranch officials including AMU community were in attendance.
(Corporate Communication Directorate)