The Presbyterian Women’s College of Education (PWCE), Aburi, has hosted a two-day capacity-building workshop in collaboration with the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA), aimed at strengthening research capacity among faculty and senior administrative staff. The workshop focused on academic writing, scholarly publishing, and ethical application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in research, doctoral, and postgraduate supervision.
Welcoming participants on behalf of the Principal, the Vice-Principal, Mr. Francis Tetteh-Osei described the workshop as both timely and relevant, noting that many members of staff were at different stages of their academic and research journeys. He expressed appreciation to UPSA for partnering with the College to equip participants with practical skills that would enhance research productivity, improve publication output, and strengthen postgraduate studies.
Presenting an overview of the workshop, Prof. Alex Preko conveyed greetings from the Vice-Chancellor of UPSA, Prof. John Kwaku Mensah Mawutor, who extended his best wishes to participants and reaffirmed the University’s commitment to research excellence and finding practical solutions to societal challenges. Prof. Preko emphasised that the training was designed to support researchers in effectively managing dissertations and theses, improve scholarly publishing, and promote collaboration through knowledge sharing. He reminded participants that “in academia, it is often said, publish or perish,” encouraging them to actively engage throughout the workshop. He also stressed that while Artificial Intelligence offers significant opportunities for academic work, it must be used ethically, responsibly, and as a tool to enhance, not replace, original scholarship.
The intensive two-day workshop featured presentations, demonstrations, and practical sessions on the responsible use of AI for academic research, effective management of doctoral studies, strategies for successful academic publishing, and postgraduate opportunities available at the University of Professional Studies, Accra.
Participants, drawn from the College’s Faculty and Senior administrative staff, described the workshop as insightful, practical, and highly beneficial in advancing the College’s research and academic development agenda.