Vice President for Research and Community Service’s office on 11th October, 2018, has hosted Grand Project proposal defense for two research projects at Senate Hall. Reviewers and academic staff have scrutinized the nitty-gritty of intended purpose to further validate the core rationale and ultimate motto of serving the surrounding community. The final call in this regard will soon be taken, it’s learnt. Click here to see the pictures
The proposal defense begun with Vice President, Dr Simon Shibru, exhorting gathering, said, reviewers are there to vet proposals, but you are the jury as well so be objective. Being rooted to AMU guideline, project must be inclusive, multi-disciplinary, involving different departments, using innovative technology and focus own catchment areas; he also spoke about the evaluation benchmark.
For the first Grand Project, Improving Quality of Teaching English Language Using ICT Tools,’ AMU reviewers, Prof. Radharemanan Pillai and Mr Alazar Baharu examined the conceptual and tangible framework of it. Dr Shitie Gatew and Mr Amanuel Shewa perused the second project, ‘Reducing Soil Erosion and Livelihood Improvement of Rural Communities in Domba Watershed in Southern Ethiopia.’
The aforesaid grand projects have three-year duration and expected to incur ETB 988760 & 955224.9 respectively. Dr Tesfaye Habtemariam and Dr Teshome Yirgu will be helming both projects along with respective co-investigators.
The first project’s three phases i.e. Baseline study, Training in ICT tools and Integrating ICT tools with English language sessions will focus on Arba Minch, Sawla and Community Secondary and Preparatory schools in Gamo Gofa Zones and schools teachers, Master and PhD students will be the beneficiaries.
Both reviewers stressed that the first project must not pay too much heed to ICT, but should be learning-centric; it must have cluster group trainings. ICT tools need to be identified, trainees’ receptivity has to be gauged; inclusion of training component was emphasized from all across during the discussion.
Dr Teshome Yirgu presenting project proposal – ‘Reducing Soil Erosion and Livelihood Improvement of Rural Communities in Domba Watershed in Southern Ethiopia’, said, Domba watershed in Dita woreda has been chosen for it’s vulnerable to soil erosion that is replete with severe environmental problems, resultant loss of livelihood opportunities and lack of accessibility to clean potable water.
The project will benefit agricultural development officials, experts and agents to device apt strategies to influence policy makers, Dr Teshome added. The second project was advised told to have a central hypothesis, criteria to stratify samples and strategy to analyze GIS data; inclusion of investigator from social science also stressed by few commenters.
Both aforesaid projects will draw designated funds from the office of Vice President for Research and Community Service and are expected to get operational from October 2018-to-2022.
(Corporate Communication Directorate)