It is well recognized that Research and Graduate studies constitute an area of weakness at UTECH. A number of reasons have been given to explain this weakness. First, the transition from a teaching college to a university which requires building a new orientation and a new culture of research almost from scratch. Second, there is the dearth of qualified research personnel, the high turnover of newly recruited staff and scarcity of good quality postgraduate students and technical personnel to support research.

Only 56 % of 300 academic staff have Masters degrees and less than 10 % have PhDs. Worse still, research equipment and good quality laboratories are lacking. All of these have resulted in a lack of adequate research output. For instance, only 30 publications emanated from research activity from the entire university between 1997-2000.

However, a number of important measures have been taken to improve on and enhance research activities in the university.

These include:

• The establishment of an office of Graduate Studies and Research in 1998
• The establishment of a seed grant to stimulate and encourage research
• The introduction of the Jamaican Teaching Scheme
• The development of policies governing research activities in the university

Already some strategies to fulfill UTECH vision 2004 for development of a Research culture have been identified and include:

• Encouraging, stimulating, nurturing and monitoring the development of each faculty’s research programme
• Advising on/ overseeing the design of at least one major externally-funded research project in each faculty.
• Assisting with provision of data ( both quantitative and qualitative) to support administrative and acdemic decision-making
• Developing a policy-framework which includes the concept of undergraduate final year projects as a major component of the university and academic units and stimuli for graduate studies at MPhil and PhD levels
• Undertaking jointly sponsored research with industry
• Publishing a quarterly research bulletin which highlights research conducted in the University.

In order for this vision to be adequately realized, there is a need for total commitment at University management level to research funding, capacity building and to fostering a culture of research in the university. This will require a sustained effort by the Office of Research and Graduate Studies and the Research committee over time.

Some Strategies to enhance Research Output

The following are the identified themes for consideration:

1. Research Management and Research Planning

2. Setting the Research agenda: Identifying research priorities

3. Capacity Building-infrastructural and Personnel training

4. Workshops, Seminars and Conferences

5. Research Partnerships, Consultancies and increased access to funding

1. Research Management and Planning: Most universities have a central office to direct the overall effort towards Research. Such offices are usually headed by a top official at the level of Vice-President to emphasize the importance of Research. Such offices are usually manned by several officers e.g Grants, Ethics, Budgets, Outreach Officers etc. The central Research office generally ensures that Best Practices in Research are disseminated throughout the university and opportunities are made known to researchers throughout the university. While research functions can be held by one or two individuals, such offices should ensure that there is no gridlock at the top and that the Research Office is there to support Researchers in a friendly manner. The planning functions of the research office include preparations of strategic plans, preparation of budgets, liaison and assistance of faculties in the preparation of research plans. Other duties of the Research office include information dissemination records, monitoring and oversight of research projects.

The questions for UTECH are:

• What structure do we create to support Research at UTECH
• How does the structure integrate with the research structures in the faculty.
• What are the central functions of the Office of Research
• What is the proper budget to support the Central office

2. Setting the Research agenda: Given the fact that there is a limited number of active Researchers at UTECH and given the mandate of Technology and Applied Research, it is obvious that there is a need for setting a Research focus and a Research agenda which appropriately reflects the available expertise, the applied research mandate for Jamaica and the need for some differentiation in the research mandate at UTECH. Some of the research areas which UTECH may focus include the areas of alternative energy and conservation, water and waste management, business systems and information technology, molecular diagnostics and laboratory technology ,environmental management, instructional technology , low cost housing, Industrial engineering, food preservation, natural products etc.

The question for UTECH is: What should be the research priorities now and in the immediate future ?

3. Capacity Building: In terms of infrastructure and personnel support, UTECH needs to urgently undertake an audit of available expertise and project into the future its needs in terms of adequate research personnel and equipment. One of the urgent steps could be the introduction of University Scholarships for the Best students in the University and the identification of mentors at UWI and other regional universities to support them. In addition, there is a need for the creation of Research Fellowships and Research Senior Lectureships/ Professorships in selected areas to kick-start research at UTECH. This could also include provision of opportunities for sabbaticals and study leave positions at UTECH for overseas academics.

4.Seminars, workshops and Conferences

There is a need to identify appropriate training seminars and workshops for young researchers at UTECH. The university should also be able to host one or two international seminars / year. The themes of seminars/workshops should include generic issues like proposal writing, research methodology, how to publish papers, research planning, grantsmanship etc In addition, faculty/schools must be prepared to host monthly research seminars etc.

Research Partnerships, Research funding and access to funding opportunities:
There is a need to develop active research partnership with industry and with other universities locally and abroad. Although UTECH has started in this direction through the introduction of the Jamaican Teaching Companies scheme, the ongoing collaboration with University of Surrey and UWI , partnership with the Sugar industry on tribology etc a lot needs to be done in developing additional partnerships and research collaboration.

Goals and Objectives of the Research Strategy

Goal 1:Developing a Research Management Plan

Objectives

1. Identify and develop an adequate structure for Central Research Management- personnel, budget

2. Develop a Strategic plan for research

3. Institute Best practices for Research across the university

4. Establish information systems to capture research projects in the university

5 Establish multidisciplinary grants

6. Increase research awareness

Goal 2: Setting the Research Agenda

Objectives

Determine research priorities and focus across the university

Identify Research groups and Projects

Goal 3: Increase Capacity Building for Research

Objectives

Create training opportunities for young researchers

Improve Research profile and activities

Improve infrastructural support- labs, equipment

Goal 4- Research Seminars, Conferences and Workshops

Objectives

Improve number and attendance at seminars and workshops

Improve university profile through international conferences

Increase participation rate at international conferences

Goal 5 Increase number of Research Partnerships, collaboration and access to funding sources

Objectives

Increase funding opportunities

Increase university research profile

Increase university earnings from research activity

Methodology and Time frame

March, 2002-

Establish working groups to identify objectives, Activities, time frame, budget for each of the different goals of the Research Strategy

April –May 2002

Working Groups meet

June, 2002

Report Back and approval of Final Reports to Research committee and Academic Board

Office of Research and Graduate Studies
March 11, 2002