Universities That Fail to Promote Research Publication Should Be Reconsidered – Steven Masiga

By Steven Masiga

Universities that require students to undertake research as a prerequisite for graduation but fail to support them in publishing their findings in recognised academic journals should reconsider their approach to higher education. Research should not end with the submission of a dissertation or thesis to a university library. Rather, it should be the beginning of a wider intellectual conversation that contributes to knowledge, informs public policy and provides practical solutions to society's challenges.

For students pursuing postgraduate qualifications, particularly Master's and PhD programmes, the opportunity to publish research should be an important consideration when selecting a university. Institutions of higher learning must go beyond awarding academic qualifications and take deliberate steps to nurture scholars whose work can be accessed, examined, challenged and appreciated by the wider academic community.

The word thesis has its historical roots in Greek and Latin intellectual traditions. In academic discourse, it refers to a proposition, central argument or position that a researcher develops and defends through systematic investigation. A scholar identifies a research problem, formulates a proposal, examines existing literature and presents evidence to support an argument or address an identified knowledge gap.

A thesis is therefore central to the entire research process. It is not merely an academic document prepared to satisfy university graduation requirements. It represents an intellectual contribution that should withstand scrutiny from other scholars and, where possible, stimulate further research. 

Research Should Go Beyond Graduation Requirements

In Uganda, several universities require postgraduate students to undertake research and submit dissertations or theses before they can qualify for graduation. This requirement is important because it exposes learners to independent investigation, critical thinking, academic writing and evidence-based reasoning.

However, an important question remains: How many of these institutions have established effective mechanisms to help their students transform their dissertations and theses into publishable academic papers?

There appears to be limited publicly accessible information establishing the extent to which Ugandan universities systematically support student publication, including mentorship, journal selection, editing, peer-review preparation and publication opportunities.

A university should not consider its responsibility towards a research student complete simply because the student has successfully defended a dissertation before an academic panel. The institution should also create opportunities for that research to reach a wider audience.

Publishing research in reputable, peer-reviewed journals allows other academics to examine the findings, challenge the arguments, identify weaknesses and build upon the knowledge generated. This is how scholarship advances from individual academic exercises into collective intellectual development. 

The Importance of Doctrinal and Non-Doctrinal Research

Research methodologies also deserve greater attention in Uganda's higher education system.

Broadly, academic research can take different methodological approaches, including doctrinal and non-doctrinal research. 

Doctrinal research is commonly associated with legal scholarship. It examines legal principles, legislation, judicial decisions and established legal doctrines to interpret the law, identify inconsistencies and propose reforms.

Non-doctrinal research, on the other hand, relies on empirical investigation, collecting and analysing information from the real world. It is widely applied in disciplines such as business administration, public administration, sociology, health sciences and other social sciences.

Researchers undertaking empirical studies may use statistical tools such as the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) to analyse quantitative data and establish relationships between different variables.

However, the growing complexity of contemporary societal problems calls for greater appreciation of mixed-methods research, which combines qualitative and quantitative approaches.

Even in legal scholarship, statistical evidence can be useful in examining how particular laws operate in practice. For instance, a researcher investigating the effectiveness of a particular statute may need to examine court statistics, enforcement records and other empirical evidence rather than relying exclusively on statutory provisions and decided cases.

Similarly, researchers in public administration and business management may benefit from examining legislation, judicial decisions and regulatory frameworks alongside statistical findings.

Universities should therefore encourage methodological diversity and equip students with the capacity to employ research approaches that respond to the specific problems under investigation.

Universities Must Invest in the Publication of Student Research

One of the biggest challenges facing postgraduate education is the tendency to treat research as an exit requirement rather than an investment in knowledge production.

A student spends months or even years investigating a particular problem, collecting information, analysing findings and developing recommendations. In some instances, the research addresses pressing issues affecting communities, government institutions, businesses and the country's development agenda.

Yet, after successfully defending the dissertation, the document may remain on a university shelf or in an institutional repository, with limited access to the wider academic and professional community.

This represents a missed opportunity.

Universities should establish research and publication support units to help students identify suitable journals, prepare manuscripts, respond to reviewers' comments and understand publication ethics.

They should also encourage collaboration between postgraduate students and their supervisors in producing journal articles from completed dissertations.

Where appropriate, universities can establish institutional journals, research conferences and digital repositories through which students can present their findings and engage with other researchers.

The emphasis, however, should be on quality rather than simply increasing the number of publications. Students must be guided towards credible, peer-reviewed journals and protected from predatory publishers that exploit inexperienced researchers. 

Kampala International University and the Need for a Publication Culture

Some universities in Uganda have recognised the importance of strengthening research publication as part of postgraduate academic development.

Kampala International University (KIU), for example, has promoted research publication among postgraduate scholars, including encouraging Master's and PhD students to publish academic work in reputable journals.

Such initiatives demonstrate the importance of integrating publication into the broader academic experience.

Other universities should examine how they can strengthen similar programmes, ensuring that research students receive the necessary academic mentorship and institutional support to translate their findings into recognised scholarly contributions.

The National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) also has an important role to play in encouraging a stronger research and publication culture across Uganda's higher education institutions.

NCHE Should Develop a National Research Publication Framework

The National Council for Higher Education should consider developing a policy framework that encourages research writing and publication at different levels of the education system.

Although the depth and complexity of research must correspond to the qualification being pursued, the culture of documenting findings, presenting arguments and communicating evidence should begin early.

Students at certificate, diploma and undergraduate levels can be introduced to research writing, academic referencing, project documentation and opportunities to present their findings.

At postgraduate level, universities should provide more structured publication support, particularly for Master's and doctoral candidates.

Such a framework could establish clear institutional expectations concerning research mentorship, publication opportunities, journal credibility, intellectual property rights and ethical research practices.

It would also encourage universities to measure their research performance not only by the number of dissertations submitted but also by the quality, accessibility and societal relevance of the research produced. 

Research Must Solve Society's Problems

Academic publication should not become an exercise in accumulating journal articles and impressive academic titles.

The ultimate purpose of research is to expand knowledge and contribute to addressing real challenges facing humanity.

Uganda needs research that informs government policy, improves healthcare delivery, strengthens education systems, supports agricultural productivity, promotes industrial development and provides solutions to social and economic problems.

A dissertation that identifies a serious challenge in a community but offers no practical recommendations or meaningful contribution to existing knowledge should invite further scrutiny.

Equally, research that has been published in a journal should not automatically be considered valuable merely because it has passed through a publication process. Its methodology, originality, credibility and contribution to society must also be examined.

Universities must therefore encourage scholarship that combines academic excellence with practical relevance.

Let Us Publish or Perish as Scholars

In my village of Bukalasi in Bududa District, an ordinary conversation may revolve around how many beers someone has consumed or how many social encounters they have had. While such conversations are part of everyday social life, intellectuals should cultivate a different culture: one that celebrates knowledge, innovation, research and the contribution individuals make to society.

As scholars approach the ages of 50 or 60, there should be meaningful conversations about their intellectual contributions. How many books have they written? How many credible academic publications stand in their names? What problems have their investigations helped to solve? How many young researchers have they mentored?

Academic achievement should not be measured exclusively by the certificates hanging on office walls or the titles attached to people's names. It should also be reflected in the knowledge they have generated and shared with the world.

Government institutions, cultural institutions, research organisations and universities should emulate a culture that recognises and rewards scholarly publication. Cultural institutions, for instance, have enormous opportunities to document indigenous knowledge, oral traditions, cultural heritage and community practices through credible academic research.

Such work would ensure that knowledge passed down through generations is preserved, critically examined and made available to future researchers.

Ultimately, universities that do not provide meaningful opportunities for students to publish their Master's and PhD research should be carefully reconsidered by prospective students seeking serious academic and intellectual development.

A university should be more than an institution that collects tuition fees, supervises dissertations and awards degrees. It should be a centre of knowledge production, intellectual exchange and innovation.

Let us move away from a system in which research ends at graduation. Let us build universities where students are encouraged to investigate, publish, defend their findings and contribute to the development of society.

Publish or perish should not merely be an academic slogan. It should be a commitment to producing knowledge that survives beyond the walls of the university.

Steven Masiga, 2026.