How can we encourage scientific research in our universities?

The scientific research in our universities can be encouraged in the following ways:

Get the faculty really motivated to publish papers in SCI journals with good impact factors and books with reputed publishers.

Promote faculty to do funded research with grants from Government or Industries. Encourage consultancy also.

Run good Ph.D. programs with attractive scholarships & benefits.

Encourage faculty to actively take part in IEEE / Springer Conferences.

Promote good research culture in the campus with "Chairs" etc.

Give a good importance to research in the faculty appraisal for promotion or annual increments, etc.

Give access to faculty in Scopus, ScienceDirect, IEEE & subscribe to good electronic journals for being in tune with latest research methods.

Set up a good library with a good catalog of all books, springer volumes, handbooks, manuals, hard-copies of journals, etc with good infrastructure and access. (I still remember the Olin Library in Washington University, St.Louis!)

Regular seminars and research talks in the department on latest topics. (This will motivate faculty & PhD students in not only learning new topics and methods, but also how to "sell" our ideas!) Dr. Byrnes arranged this regularly for us, when he was my thesis guide, and this helped us a lot.

Conduct or host IEEE conferences or international conferences with Springer proceedings or extended papers in SCI journals etc.

Sabbatical leave to faculty for carrying out research work in collaboration with faculty / friends from other Universities / R & D sectors of companies.

Good working atmosphere, conductive for doing research.

Good interaction and collaboration with other people in Conferences and post-Conferences also. Collaboration really help!

Take part in Research Gate and be in touch with international experts!

Be Virtus Maximus ! Have a great day!

Best wishes

Sundar

Abedallah M Rababah

Dear @Mahfuz, this is a must issue at the universities; a university without research is just a high school. To motivate research at the universities, in addition to what mentioned by dears @Behrouz, @Marcel, and @Vyacheslav, there must be a funding program for research and reduction in teaching load for researchers.

Yes, dear Abedallah, it is a must issue at the universities. There are many ways for encouraging scientific research.

Miranda Yeoh

In my college, teachers are supposed to research on students' learning. But we have no grants. I look for literature on Google Scholar, and get some help from kind researchers to get some good literature review. Some of it I buy myself. I have got help and advice from Prof Ljubomir, Nageswara, Ian, Lijo, Patrick, Raoof, Beata and our gang. Now, can you understand why we keep asking RG to reinstate Lijo and Patrick?

Hashem Adnan Kilani

Research is crucial in the universities. However, the quality of research is more important than the quantity. We need to encourage our scholars to be involved in a quality research and to implement their outcomes to solve society problems. incentives are very important to support those researchers who devoted their time conducting research more than others. Each university has its policy. My opinion is to open centers for research so teamwork can be successful. encourage teamwork means all parties are involved not just to add names on an individual effort. reducing teaching loads is one of the standard to help good researchers sustainability of publishing research. good researchers should not oppressed by administrators. In many cases Bureaucracy is an obstacle for getting funds and may not facilitate procedures.

Sribas Goswami

Increasing student involvement in faculty research is a win-win proposition from many perspectives. Student assistance can greatly speed a faculty member's ability to conduct research. It can encourage students to explore research careers for themselves. It builds student-faculty interaction, thereby improving the undergraduate educational experience and allowing students to develop one-on-one relationships with faculty that aid them in securing important graduate school recommendations. But doing all of this well takes some thought to maximize its potential.

Rita De Vuyst

The answers are all positive thoughts, I also think as Marcel Lambrechts that we must start with the fundamentals, reinvent a new philosophy that deals with reality and a goodwill to change if necessary. The way is open to come to a common goal, in harmony with nature.

If grants has to come from politics and sponsors who has insight that there is not too many influence from that direction and has research enough freedom. What is happening with the results.

Dear Sribas,

I agree completely with your comments regarding increasing student involvement in faculty research, which is a win-win proposition.

Debi S. Saini

Dear Mahfuz

This necessitates the following:

--Strict adherence to quality research contribution by universities in hiring faculty

--Writing research as a top priority by the universities in their vision and mission statements

--Hiring distinguished researchers from other universities to act as role models and as mentors to younger researchers

--Convincing governments that focus on research is the only route to higher ranking of the countries and universities in the comity of best educational institutions

--Convincing the government that there should be incentive to industry to fund research (Indian has just passed a law envisaging at least 2% of the net profit to be spent by all companies on CSR including research).

--Appointing only those as CEOs of departments and colleges who have a good track record in research. Presently, the situation is that only few who are researchers want to be a CEO in at colleges or departments. Consequently, it perpetuates mediocrity.

Donald Ibama Hamilton

MENTORING is the key .Senior academics must lend a hand to younger ones and of course younger ones must LEARN how to accept such help

Dear @Mahfuz and friends, as mentioned earlier, we must bridge the gap that exists between University and Industry! The applied research is the key issue!The Business Technology Incubator of Technical Faculties Belgrade L.L.C. - University of Belgrade is a fine model to do it!

http://www.bitf.rs/cms/item/home/en.html

Dear Ljubomir,

I am in agreement with you in that we must bridge the gap that exists between University and Industry. Thank you for the link you attached.

Dear Mahfuz,

I would be glad if I could encourage research activity in our department and not at the whole faculty or university! As some put it these are partly financial question which I cannot influence and partly depends on the atmosphere of the given scientific community and their ambitions. One should also mention the individual abilities, expertise and mainly the willingness to work and not to have worked. Vanity, individual jealousy, egoistically grasped authority play an important role too.

Dear friends, this is a good practice at University of Belgrade, Center for Technology Transfer that enable "efficient and effective implementation of scientific and research results achieved at the University, with the goal of developing the economy and the society, encouraging the transfer of knowledge between the University and the economy, support for the placement of new technologies and innovations, linking relevant subjects, establishing a network and collaboration with the aim of intensifying the technology transfer, developing knowledge and skill in the protection and use of patents and other forms of intellectual property in the process of technology transfer,..."

http://www.ctt.bg.ac.rs/en/

Dear Debi,

Dear All,

What you have written is a list of desires which individual researchers/teachers cannot influence. Now, how can we encourage research in our universities regarding our own opportunities?

I think we can develop an excellent working atmosphere (if possible and if there is a demand for it) and building up good (real) research connections with other institutions in order to improve research activity at our place.

Regidor III Poblete Dioso

Dear Ljubomir,

Basically, you are right.

Unfortunately the industry and agriculture are in crisis in many ex-socialist countries. Do you not think that the university industry (agriculture) gap is too wide and deep?

I agree with Roland and Donald. And yes Mahfuz, it is really difficult to encourage academics and/or teachers to move out of their comfort zones and to engage into research, both scientific and non-scientific.

Monetary incentives are good driving forces to motivate researchers to do scientific researches. On the other hand, getting companies outside your own educational institution to financially support scientific researches are also to be suggested especially when the research itself endorses a specific brand from the chosen sponsoring company for human use. Experimenting on humans can get more companies to support scientific researches and can motivate members of the educational institution to join.

Thank you my dear Ljubomir for attaching the file for the practice at University of Belgrade, Center for Technology Transfer. Good practices that every colleague should look at.

Dear All,

An example: About 20 years ago I proposed to my colleagues to work out together a research plan which would consists of each of us. I suggested everybody should prepare a brief design of propositions in two weeks. I have prepared my version in time. Regarding the others no proposition has arrived... Such is life.

Dear @Andras, You have asked me about the gap in agriculture. I do think it is very wide and one , yes I agree!Policy framework and agriculture as well as rural development should be the major issues in post-communist (socialist) countries!

Problem tycoon and crooked privatization and sale of state-owned land in the most fertile region of Vojvodina does not lead to the desired goal! On the contrary! In Serbia, this gap is not going to be bridged in the near future my @Andras!

Ratan Khuman

As the question stated, research works are always required to bring some positive change. Funding in research is one primary requirement to encourage the research work. Nowadays some journal accept only funded research for publication... Building up a positive surrounding within the university by upgrading the research infrastructures may also play an important role...

Dear Ljubomir,

You can see very accurately the situation. I cannot understand one thing: how can be so similar the circumstances in Serbia and Hungary? How could be so destroyed and robbed both countries during such a little time?

And to go back to the original question how can we encourage university research without suitable facilities and serious intentions of decision makers?

Dhara Chavda

Experienced Guide

Healthy atmosphere

Funding for research/ equipment required

Some relaxation in Regular work/ schedule

Assistance system, if we stuck in some problem/ confusion regarding study..

In your country, is there any laws or government regulations to get each university allocate a percentage of the budget for research purposes.

Nizar Matar

To encourage scientific research in a university, there ought to be a supporting atmosphere to the researcher and this comes by:

- Providing a suitable place, such as a laboratory, for the researcher. I observed that when 2 or more persons share the keys of a research lab, then conflicts occur easily.

- Needless to say that there must be financial support to the research activity, e.g., to buy the necessary materials, tools, and equipment. How come there will be a good research if an administration is excessively thrifty & skeptical about needed expenses?

- The researchers are human beings and hence they are driven by meaningful work which offers challenges & requires efforts. It is the duty of the supervisor to let his research team know the value of their endeavors & what the tasks are.

- If the administration acknowledges & positively reinforces the academic researchers, especially the staff, then there will be a strong motivation for production.

- The opportunities for research ought to be open for all those who have ideas or projects. It is both unwise & unethical to "allow some & deny some" these opportunities.

- An academic research cannot be done properly when there is heavy teaching load, large number of students to advise, and long office hours. Freedom is basic requirement for research.

- Transparency ought to be implemented in terms of rewards & promotions. Any non-scientific factor, playing a role in these two, will undermine the desire for research.

Dear Nizar,

Thank you for the detailed answer of the supporting atmosphere that should be available to encourage scientific research in universities.

Emma Camarero

Spanish crisis beat so hard the universitary system. Now, the investiment in research & education is really low. In University Loyola Andalucia, in Communication Studies Department, we have decided to work in a common research proyect, linking the efforts and the financial supports in a only one goal. In this way, working together (something very difficult in the traditional non-collaborative spanish universities), we have obtened an european research financement.

This common proyect (witn many possibilities of scientific research ways) has encouraged my department and now, we feel a new research way is open for us as a scientific community

Hussin Jose Hejase

First the university has to declare its reason of being, that is, is it a research oriented institution , a teaching institution, or a mix. Then, a strategic plan has to be clear about the university's priorities in research if such an approach is adopted. And from there tie research and teaching duties within the researcher career within the university which means a very clear job description and a transparent budgeting plan allocated.

Having such a scheme guarantees continuity and appreciation of the research endeavor and tied to the promotional ladder.

Dear Roland,

Many thanks for your kindness for the Hungarian phrase. Here in Debrecen I have a colleague who has some relatives in Petrosani (Petrozseny) .

Unfortunately, the ways of changes have been directed towards the decadence in ex-socialistic countries. At first our friends of Western Europe then our countrymen tycoons robbed the state propriety. Our well trained young men emigrated massively and make rich western countries in the hope a better and more democratic life and career.

Dear Emma,

Congratulations to your new financial opportunity. The Spanish crisis must be very severe however Spanish science and culture have had a very productive and rich period after joining the EU. I have a very good friend in Jaén and I have seen the excellent facilities and opportunities there about 8-10 years ago. I hope Spain will find its way out of the economic difficulties.

Dear @Mahfuz and @Shafiq, dear all, have a look in Serbian research budgeting! Serbia invests 0.3 pct of GDP in science!!! :(

http://www.b92.net/eng/news/society.php?yyyy=2014&mm=05&dd=13&nav_id=90289

Vladan Celebonovic

Just to add a detail on the answer of Professor Jacic: no country should have such a small investment in science, and lack of criteria.

Monica Bhattacharjee

Some of the possible ways could be through:

1. Providing adequate funding opportunities as well as non financial incentives

2. Building quality research infrastructure that aids a favourable environment conducive to the spirit of research

3. Establishing effective collaboration between academia and industry so that researchers can envision visible and viable goals

4. Encouraging interdisciplinary partnerships to build on cohesive strategies for effective research macrostructures, and to fuel intrinsic motivation for holistic improvement acknowledging the fact that the whole is more than the sum of its parts

5. Sound inventor ownership policies

Regidor III Poblete Dioso

Can we consider the university providing data bases to researchers as an encouragement of scientific research?

Yes Mahfuz. Providing databases can be encouraging. However, purchasing/renting databases are one of the most basic requirements for universities whether it be encouraging or not.

Dear Mahfuz - Many Universities maintain "digital library" and give easy access to journals, dissertations, Scopus, Science-Direct (elsevier), IEEE Xplore, etc.

Best wishes

Sundar

Pisupati Sadasiva Subramanyam

Human resources (top professors, leading researchers with awards), good infrastructure (library, digital library, labs, spacious offices with good desktops, printers and other facilities), good PhD students, good work culture and good places to take rest & interaction, good open spaces, nice surroundings all help sustaining good research.

When I visited Sousse beach (Tunisia) for a Conference, I got spell-bound. I told my friends there, "this place is so beautiful! this will inspire you to conduct good research.."

With best wishes

Sundar

There is a Film song in Telugu,which runs like this,"If you compel a person to sing,the song he sings will not be a song(of Quality).If you force a person to Dance,the Dance performed will not be up to our liking ,,,".

Likewise,if we compel a person to do Research,it will not be Research by any Standards of Research.Yet Universities and Institutions of Higher Learning..because of the Standards and Reputation to be maintained has to insist on Research by its Faculty and Students.,even if it is not for a Degree to be obtained by Research.

Then what is the Remedy.

Apart from agreeing with the Suggestions of all others,like creating Proper Atmosphere,Providing Monetary and other incentives,insisting on Publications in Standard Journals with Good Impact Factor,Indexed Journal,with Good Standard indices etc. or Penalization for failing to come up to the Expectations in Research aspect, I have the following Suggestions.

# The Remedy lies in the Selection of the Faculty and Students. for Relevant Courses consisting of Research or No Research Content.

# Generally Under graduate courses are Course Dependent,at the most requiring a Mini, or Short Term Main Project. In such Courses if somebody Publishes a Paper or Article based on the Project carried out,it is welcome and may be Rewarded Suitably.Publication should not be insisted upon. If insisted,low quality wok will turn up (Probably in view of a large number of disinterested incumbents) and the Reputation of the University will go down.this is more so in places where Quantity and not the Quality is the Criterion.

# Selection for the Research Oriented Courses, earlier Publications in any Field or topic,as it is a measure to judge whether the Person has a Research Bent of Mind

# For Research Oriented Courses,Publications in Paid / Paid on Line Journals (which communicate their acceptance for Publication within a fortnight or a week or in some cases even immediately after the Receipt of the paper and Payment of a Fee) are to be discouraged by not recognizing such Publications.

# More number of Publications may not be insisted as this leads to extending of only one aspect of the work by means of some gimmicks like changing the values of one or two parameters,or retitling and making a few changes here and there slightly and sending for Publication by other journals.

# Inter Disciplinary Research,which I insist, may be encouraged.

# More Publications,each in a Different area is to be discouraged as it becomes difficult to link them together to submit the Final dissertation Report.I have come across at least a couple of such cases.

# Permission may be granted to the Scholars,for access of Digital Library contents to which the Institute has Subscribed from any where,not restricted for access only in the Institute.

# Ideas for Research strike in the mind,all on a sudden,if one goes on thinking,and thinking Wildly. For this to happen, one should have entrance in as many subjects as possible. In that case,if the Researcher gets stuck up some where in the middle of his work,his knowledge on other subjects will help. He may start exploring the possibilities of employing other Techniques or other tools used in other Areas,instead of getting bogged down there. Hence as many (Relevant)Courses as possible may be Prescribed preliminary to Main Research.The Researcher may also resort to voluntarily study other additional Material.

P.S.

Krishnan Umachandran

Facilities provided should be open without limitations...The Keywords and strings used in firewall blocks, providing unlimited wi-fi access and limiting through a firewall intending to block some sites,.. at times creates hassle in research.,

Pisupati writes.. "Ideas for Research strike in the mind,all on a sudden,if one goes on thinking,and thinking Wildly. "

Jee - this is called "lateral thinking", and this is encouraged by management gurus.

Best wishes,

Sundar

Dear All,

It is evident that scientific research has got a lot of needs independently of personnel efforts and the short term opportunities of our abilities like good (not exceptional) facilities such as labs, appliances, libraries, assistance, good salary and societal esteem.

However, I understood Mahfuz’s question “ How can WE encourage... “ as what WE (simple researchers) personally can do?

I have read many lists of desires totally independent of our opportunities like “Human resources (top professors, leading researchers with awards), good infrastructure (library, digital library, labs, spacious offices with good desktops, printers and other facilities), good PhD students, good work culture and good places to take rest & interaction, good open spaces, nice surroundings…”

The best would be to use our imagination which can work even in our unfavourable conditions!

By the way personally I wish to each of us at least 10 millions USD a year...

Dear All,

Let us see Vyacheslav’s highly esteemed comment:

1 Financial encouragement authors of articles, books, patents ... It depends on the significance of the work.

2 There is a rating of scientific research, which affects the distribution of funding.

3 non-financial incentives.

Two of these points are OK, the third is unclear.

1 Financial encouragement of performances: Who will decide about the significance of performance, and what may be the source of the remuneration? I note in well operating, democratic countries this exists. The basis of normal scientific work is a normal salary! However, it would be good to know which rate of scientific performances (or researchers) is acknowledged objectively (at a particular country or institution)?

2 Rating system of research and funding according to it: I can but repeat, it would be good to know which rate of scientific performances (or researchers) is acknowledged objectively?

3 What are non-financial incentives?

I ask you :

1 What factors determine the salary and acknowledgement of performances in your country (university)?

2 What is the rating system controlling funds’ distribution?

What about the exceptions and their rate to the normal way?

Irina Mikhailovna Pechonkina

Andras opined - "By the way personally I wish to each of us at least 10 millions USD a year..."

Well, many Institutes / Companies do say - "Salary is not a constraint.."

So you may dream as you like..

Best wishes,

Sundar

I think, first of all you must motivate the students by your own love to your subject.After finding your like-minded persons you can discuss an aim and help your students with materials. The main thing is not to enforce your students to follow your own point of view. You must offer a lot of approaches and problems and a student must choose his/her own approach and his/her own team. After experienced work a teacher and a student represent their results in the scientific conference. This victory is common and in the long run, we live for the sake of this triumph.

Vinicius Pedrazzi

Dear folks, I agree with Irina, we must first seek an incentive raising the interest, the curiosity to students through our classes, courses, lectures, etc. Then, when sought, the ideal would be a "dating" with the person concerned with exchange of information, a small period of laboratory stage, for example. Hence, there is potential to develop into a research project, we seek a grant with the government or even the private sector. It is my humble opinion and experience in the case.

Vladan Celebonovic

To start from the basics, the state must show that it respects the scientists. This means reasonable salaries, depending on the results achieved and titles granted, but various non-financial aspects, such as simply consulting faculties and/or institutes in case(s) of need. This would show to prospective students that being a scientist is a respected job, and not an engagement leading to financial misery.

Rihab Mohamed Abdelrahman

Dear Vladan,

"This means reasonable salaries, depending on the results achieved and titles granted". I agree with you.

Hi,

I think universities should help their academic stuff in the matter of publication in well respected journals as it costs lot of money.It discourage them if they could not publish them.what is the use of doing research when you know that it will not be published.

I completely agree with you dear Marcel. Promotion and rewards are some drivers, and we should not forget the non-monetary incentives in this regard. Achievement itself, recognition from superiors, career development, and thanks letter are some of those drivers.

Competitive advantage comes not from doing what other countries do well but from what we can do better than them, and in some country one of the things that there are doing outstandingly well is scientific discovery.

In recent years there has been a very significant change in the attitude of universities to the exploitation of their research capabilities. In the past, universities were not very interested in exploiting their intellectual property. But that is changing rapidly. Much is taking place, but a great deal more needs to be done. To speed up the exploitation of the science and engineering base, governments and industry should see universities as partners of the business, developing people to work with and with business, spinning out firms to commercialize research and collaborating with business on research and problem-solving.

But this does not mean diverting money from fundamental research to applied research. On the contrary, the first priority is to maintain the excellence of the country science base.

The first thing that the University should do is to improve the flow of scientific and engineering ideas into the industry. The very early stages of turning research outcomes into marketable products, processes and services is a critical and difficult phase, and the University funds should be targeted at providing support at that point. It is also important that the Universities improve the relationship with the industry in order to participate more actively in the solution of problems that the industries could be facing or to invent new products that the industries needed, etc.

Another initiative is the creation of the higher education fund by the government in order to reward and incentivize universities and researchers for interacting with business. It affords freedom to universities to come forward with innovative proposals for establishing links with business and the industry.

Another initiative is to increase the number of teaching company scheme programmes. The programme could be highly successful in facilitating the transfer of technology and knowledge between the science and engineering base and business, and has also been highly successful in helping to forge lasting partnerships.

A national network of partnerships could also bring a sharper focus to the commercialization of research and the sharing of ideas in particular areas of technology. The aim is to encourage university researchers, independent research organizations and firms of all sizes to work together to exploit the country science base.

Hussin Jose Hejase

Good exposition Jorge. What if the industry is not interested in the new universities entities, that is, for-profit institutions? Usually relations with the external community is easier when the higher education institutions has an NGO status! Therefore, the new for -profit universities will have tough competition with NGO universities. Why? because funding projects for research in NGO universities has more transparency.

Dear Sundarapandian,

Many of us live in countries where from point of view of employers salary is limited...

You can be happy living in a country of unlimited opportunities.

By the way, dreaming on money is not my custom. In my dreams I desire a better and more just world which I do not want to force to anybody.

Dear Hussin. The key point here, in my view, is the following: For-profit universities, if they wish to compete for funds with other universities located in countries with well defined research and development policy, they should have a very good profile of well-conceived projects in those areas where the industry show some interested and if behind these projects is a group of highly competent researchers. The industry operating in the most advanced technological sector, particularly the private industry, has sufficient funds to support researches in certain areas of their interest and is ready to support some projects if they are well-prepared and its results well identified.

Dear Concha. Thanks for your comment. In my reply to my friend Hussin, intentionally I left aside fundamental research and other universities research possibilities in order to give him a short reply to his question.

Nizar Matar

Dr. Hussin Hejase has given a strong point to ponder. In the "good old days", industries were generous in supporting research at universities. They used to provide the funds for research within the interests of the donating industries. A typical industry may wait for 1-3 years to get a solution for a specific problem or a modification for a certain process, but more often there were no positive outcomes. While research in industrial circles occurs under stress & pressure, the academic research is more relaxed & does not have a sense of urgency.

The academics made a mistake by taking the industries for granted. This led to a gradual decrease of industries' support for research at universities & instead of that, they directed the funds to the R&D sections within the industrial plants.

Trust has been widely lost between industries & universities and I saw many articles in chemistry journals in the last 2 decades of the 20th century discussing the "lost trust" & " how to repair the damage". The problem has not been resolved yet.

András Bozsik- I agree with your views and my answer was in good humour only.

I thought it was very obvious. Have a great day!

Best wishes

Sundar

Dear Nizar,

I agree with you that trust has been widely lost between industries & universities, and the problem has not been resolved yet.

Industries deal with problems which are dynamic in nature - some of the parameter may change, some of the operating conditions may change, and some times the models themselves may change. This poses a big problem to academics who like to work problems with fixed conditions. As we work on methodologies for solving the problems in hand, if suddenly the problem conditions change, it is not very easy to "adjust" the methodology. People working in the control systems engineering are well aware of this. (If the transfer functions of the working models change or if the problem is changed to nonlinear one, it takes a lot of time to build new solutions). Also, there is often no inadvertent delay by academics in working with the deadlines, and the teaching / university administration work also take a big toll of time!

With best wishes

Sundar

Ijeoma Anumaka

Prof Sir

For us in Africa we are interested in research ,support for me means financial implication .If we have ready and accessible funding for research ,then the empowerment is complete.

Teddy Nagaddya

I suppose the first thing we need to do is build capacity in our institutions to be able to conduct meaningful research. Further still we need to build and strengthen partnerships with both local and international institutions that may have the financial capacity or the research capacity.

Erasmus Chirume Chirume

The promise of education is that universities still can be axial of society where universities perform prognostic and prophylactic roles. The content of these roles is reflected in none other than research that the universities undertake in the context of stakeholders' needs (needs of society and particularly needs of industry, a key ally to a university).

To do this I think universities need to have a sound infrastructure which is not just in the form of well-equipped and advanced labs, but, to me a university requires an established Research Institute. The institute would co-ordinate and direct financial and material resources towards research initiatives from faculty and research needs from society and industry.

My hunch is that professors are ready to do both basic and applied research, but, how much support ( in dollar terms are professors receiving from their intuitions to (do research and disseminate findings) in order to fulfill the promise of education? We need dollar amounts to do want we need to do in universities and society.

Dear Erasmus,

I am in agreement with you, especially in that universities need to have a sound infrastructure which is not just in the form of well-equipped and advanced labs, but, a university requires an established Research Institute.

Timothy McTighe

I run a small independent non-profit research foundation. I attended my first CME meeting at this foundation in 1971 and took over as Executive Director in 1991. For 41 years this foundation has conducted educational and scientific research in both basic science and clinical/surgical research. I have found two basic principals keep the foundation alive and researchers involved. Advancement in scientific endeavors and peer review.

Funding is always the issue. Over 80% of our funding comes from commercial support and 20% by foundation activities. Once the funding is in place establishing a priority of projects that can attract the appropriate researchers is necessary. Finding the balance between commercial support and pure scientific endeavor is the challenge.

I constantly challenge both myself and my Board to be proactive in looking at new ways to move forward. Research also is only as good as one's ability to communicate their findings. Often we are able to attract funding from commercial sources easier than large Academic Centers because we are more reactive and accomplish our projects in a faster timeline. I believe the larger research labs can be too slow to react to some commercial time lines. It all comes down to a proper balance of both short-term and long-term action plans.

Maureen Nicolas

Certainly the ideas of funding and the active research institute mentioned above are required but I would add a culture of research needs to be cultivated. By that I mean that learning from research needs to be implemented into courses, into systems and procedures at the university. All the work of a tertiary institution should be research informed that way the researchers/professors see the benefit of conducting research and adding new knowledge to the way of doing business.

Dear Maureen,

I completely agree with you in that the funding and the active research are required but aiso a culture of research needs to be cultivated.

I agree with Maureen and Mahfuz that research culture needs to be cultivated for good research outputs in Colleges and Universities.

Not all do research with labs, and simulation software like MATLAB, SCILAB are available for numerical simulations of scientific models. My friends use SPICE simulation for circuit realizations of chaotic systems. Such research does not need a big lab.

Also, as many open-access journals are available and free alternatives like Google Scholar (instead of Scopus & ScienceDirect which require subscription), one can also get access to online journals and publications.

With good research culture, people can do active research.

(My research involves a lot of modelling, simulation and control).

Best wishes

Sundar

Dear Sundar,

Although open-access journals and free alternatives like Google Scholar are available , it would be better if researcher can get more from other databases.

Erasmus Chirume Chirume

Hey Peers, Very powerful ideas are emerging from this discussion. Here is my suggestion in the light of this. Dr.Judeh, could we not organize, in the next two or so years, a conference on this matter. We can bring together stakeholders, specialists representatives of interest groups to a table to bring about an agenda based on actionable ideas to advance research, dissemination and use of findings to improve society and its institutions. Dr Sundar and others, what do you think?

Hussin Jose Hejase

Erasmus, excellent suggestion. And I think it applied to many discussion going around the several RG threads.

Dear Erasmus. I think also that your suggestion on the organization of an international conference on how to encourage research activities in an university and the mechanism that can be explored to receive the necessary funds to carry out these researches could be en excellent opportunities to have an open discussion of this important subject.

Yes, dear Erasmus, it is a great idea. I believe all of us should take the responsibility to prepare for the conference.

Roza Ibrahim

This a very important discussion as my university is also looking for ways of developing a research culture within the university and I believe that Vyacheslav's experiences are worth considering. Also, the conference is a wonderful idea.

Dear Erasmus Chirume Chirume - Conference is a great idea!

In my future Conferences at India and Tunisia, I shall try to arrange some mini-workshop on Research Methodology upon sufficient interest.

Best wishes

Sundar

Dr. Ravindran S.

One can find energitic people, among the staff and students, in Universities. It is a part of the duty of the authorities of Universities to identify and to encourage them in research activities. Motivating words of mouth alone may not be of any use.

Arrange for sponsored research funding

Arrange for research centers with instruments and equipment

Arrange for technical and non-technical staff

Regards,

Dr.S.Ravindran

SALEEM RAZA BHATTI

In my opinion it is the entire responsibility of a state to formulate such policies to create a research culture it will be very best way to introduce research subject from school level to University in this way we can enhance the research and can be create a good research culture.