Faculty of Business and Management, Research Methodology Course for Lecturers (Pilot Project), July 21-31, 2003.

Based on the results of an action research project conducted in the Faculty of Business and Management, a proposal was submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies and Research for a Graduate Certificate Course to be offered to staff in the university.

The Faculty Research Course for Lecturers was offered as a pilot project from July 21 to July 31, 2003. Forty two (42) persons registered in the programme, and 39 successfully completed . Of the 39 who completed, 22 were from the Faculty of Business and Management, 14 from other faculties at UTech and four (4) were from organizations external to UTech. Piloting to a diverse group is critical in instructing the faculty on future directions of the course.

Guest Presentation by Dr. Ian Boxill, Researcher and Head of Department, UWI

Feedback from participants was generally very positive and although some of these persons have taken research methods at the master’s level, they were impressed by the mode of presentation, expertise of presenters, and relatedness to their areas of specialization. The results of the action research will be published later this semester.

The proposal previously submitted to the Office of Research and Graduate Studies is being revised and will be submitted early in the semester. It is hoped that approval will be granted for the course to become a graduate

Dean of the Faculty, Garth Kiddo, a participant in the Research Methodology Course for Lecturers, giving Dr. Ian Boxill his undivided attention.

 research course (for 4 credits) and be offered every semester to persons at UTech as well as to persons external to the university. This course will be the foundation for building cooperative relationships and joint research activities between the faculty and the business industry in Jamaica and the region.

This project received strong support from the President of the University, Senior Vice President, Academic Affairs, Director of the Office of Research and Graduate Studies, the Dean of the Faculty and other deans, some of whom participated in the closing exercises. (See photographs of closing exercises).

Participant making a presentation to Prof. Adelani Ogunrinade who was guest presenter in two sessions and joined the group for lunch at Lillian’s Restaurant at UTech.

The faculty is pleased that members of staff in both schools (SHTM & SOBA) have been involved in research and are making presentations at conferences. There have been four recent publications and out of the recent course for lecturers, there should be a significant increase

Closing Exercises - Senior Vice President, Academic Affairs, (Mr. George Roper) addressing participants

in the numbers of research – publications and presentations.

Graduate Studies

The Faculty, in particular, the School of Business Administration is currently reviewing the detailed Memorandum of Agreement between University of Illinois, Chicago and UTech to determine the feasibility of offering UIC’s MBA at UTech. (Look out for further developments).

Claudette Williams-Myers, Ph. D.
Coordinator, Faculty Research and Graduate Studies
Faculty of Business and Managment