UEW Hosts IUCDS Seminar on Digital Innovations in Teaching

Opening the seminar on behalf of the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Esther Yeboah Danso-Wiredu, the Pro-Vice-Chancellor of UEW, reaffirmed Management’s commitment to the IUCDS project and advancing postgraduate education through strategic partnerships. She pointed out that it requires closer collaboration among partner institutions, particularly in language development and research programmes, to enhance doctoral studies across the network.

Prof. Esther Danso-Wiredu disclosed that discussions were underway to organise a working session among partner institutions to establish a Language Centre at UEW to support the development of language proficiency programmes in French, English and German. She further expressed optimism that the conference would help translate the African Customary Diplomacy programme framework from French into English to enhance its dissemination and adoption across partner institutions.

She called on member institutions to adhere strictly to the principles outlined in the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which is being renewed for another five years, noting that these guidelines are critical to the effective management of doctoral candidates and the smooth functioning of the Conference. Touching on sustainability, she emphasised enhancing the Research, Innovation and Staff Development Fund. This investment, she said, aims to bolster the quality of teaching, facilitate dissemination and promote staff development within member institutions.

Presenting the IUCDS annual report for the 2024–2025 academic year, Prof. Dominique S. Y. Amuzu, the Executive Secretary of IUCDS, traced the evolution of the Conference from its inception in the early 2000s to its formal launch in 2009 at UEW. He revealed that the Conference has grown to about 30 member institutions with its Permanent Secretariat hosted by UEW and a Scientific Unit based at the University of Lagos, Nigeria.

Prof. Amuzu highlighted key achievements during the period under review including international conferences and working sessions held in Ghana, Nigeria, Togo, Benin and Côte d’Ivoire, focusing on staff development, language proficiency, African customary diplomacy and interdisciplinary research. He, however, acknowledged persistent challenges such as funding constraints, high tuition fees, faculty workload and the ethical use of digital technologies and artificial intelligence in research and called for stronger institutional support and clear policies to address these concerns.

Prof. Akanbi Mudasiru Ilupeju, the Head of the Scientific Unit of IUCDS and Dean of the Faculty of Arts, University of Lagos, used the occasion to emphasise the importance of research dissemination through the IUCDS Journal of Research Findings (JURREFI). He noted that the journal, printed by the UEW Press and published both online and in hard copy, provides an international platform for high-quality, peer-reviewed research that might otherwise remain unpublished after thesis defence.

Prof. Ilupeju encouraged doctoral students and faculty to publish regularly, stressing that scholarly publication enhances academic visibility, protects intellectual property and supports career progression. He commended UEW for its sustained financial and institutional support to the IUCDS, describing it as pivotal to the survival and success of the conference.

Also speaking at the opening ceremony, Prof. Imurana Awaisu Braimah, the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies, UEW, highlighted the University’s progress in postgraduate education and its commitment to improving doctoral completion rates through collaboration under the IUCDS framework. He announced flexible fee payment arrangements introduced by Management to ease the financial burden on doctoral students and reiterated provisions in the Graduate Handbook that allow students to request changes in supervision when necessary.

Prof. Braimah cautioned against the unethical use of artificial intelligence in academic work, stressing that while digital innovations should support research, originality and academic integrity must remain paramount. He further encouraged doctoral candidates to publish at least one scholarly article before submitting their final thesis to strengthen their academic competence.

A key highlight of the opening ceremony was a research report on thesis delay presented by Mr. Cosmos Dzikunu, Head of the Centre for Educational Policy and Studies (CEPS), UEW. Presenting findings from a 2023 study conducted by the Institute for Educational Research and Innovation Studies (IERIS), he identified financial challenges, student-related factors, institutional facilities and supervisory practices as major contributors to delayed completion of postgraduate theses at UEW. He noted that while some students reported positive supervisory relationships, others cited inadequate facilities and strained supervision as setbacks.

The opening ceremony also featured goodwill messages from partner institutions and guests, as well as a paper presentation by an expert on the topic “Choice of thesis in relation to identification and statement of problem, research objectives, research questions and hypothesis.”

The four-day seminar provided participants with practical insights into digital learning technologies, enhanced doctoral supervision and contributed to improved quality in teaching and research outcomes across IUCDS partner institutions.