Research can be… fun!

You read right… independent study, particularly at the master's level, takes education out of dreary textbooks. UmmeSalma Mujtaba on a highly misunderstood term.

Postgraduation is the maturing of one's education with advanced level studies of subjects and associated research. The trend of research-based postgraduate degrees is not prevalent in the UAE. Nevertheless its importance cannot be underestimated. To find out just how important, Notes spoke to academics: 

- Dr Tapan Bagchi, dean, S.P. Jain Centre of Management, Dubai 

- Dr Shaikh Moulali, academician

- Dr Ananth Rao, associate professor and associate dean, College of Business Administration, Dubai University College

- Dr Lejla Vrazalic, senior lecturer, College of Business, University of Wollongong, Dubai

Today's globalised environment has problems aplenty. There are no specific solutions from textbooks - the traditional approach to education. The focus of education has changed to critical and reflective thinking. This is ensured by systematic research.

Research societies 
Good universities have dedicated centres for applied research that encourage faculty members to present their research work in international refereed academic and practitioner conferences. 

Research committees contribute to university programmes through case studies by bringing management practices to the classroom, by making programmes more competitive and contemporary and by adding quality.

There are also a number of informal research groups on campus. 

In forming research groups it is important to take into account the expertise required to conduct the research and also to have access to the right resources.

What to look for in a research-based programme

Ask yourselves:

- What do you want to learn from higher studies? 

- Does the programme add value to your existing knowledge and skills?

- Does the programme make it more practical for you to take up challenging leadership roles?

- Does the curriculum match international standards? 

- How is the research profile of the faculty members at the university? 

- Are their research accomplishments documented through publications in international refereed journals? 

- Are the modules delivered through research projects?

- How is the student advising system?

Acquiring knowledge is not easy; it takes lot of effort, commitment, sincerity and hard work from the student besides support from instructors.

The statement "a good researcher self-motivates; an effective learner and a practitioner is a good researcher" best describes the significance of research.

TAUGHT VS. RESEARCH-BASED DEGREES

- The taught PG degree is the traditional approach of passive learning. 

- Textbooks provide the basics but not the practical and applied content. They are more generalised versions of problems that in real life are specific to an individual and need specific solutions. 

- The one based on research is active learning. The brain is teased to think at a higher level of education and is given an opportunity to analyse why problems arise and how it can be overcome. 

- This line of learning broadens all the learner's faculties. The more the environment is centred on the two-way communication process, the more effective is the learning. 

- Thinking out of the box is facilitated through the research component in a module or course; students are challenged to solve specific problems. The instructor is only a facilitator. 

- Students become independent, competitive, decisive problem solvers.