CBU Re-organizes Its Research Activities

The Copperbelt University has so far made significant achievements in teaching and its graduates have taken up leading positions in Government, politics and in the national economy generally. However, the impact of the scholarship of inquiry by the University has not been significant, and yet this is one area that could put CBU on the world map. CBU‘s publication citation index is nothing to talk about at present.

This is likely to change, however, following the introduction, for the first time, of a budget line on Research and University Education in the 2010 national budget. The budget will provide a grant that will come directly to CBU. This grant is aimed at enhancing the research budget.

On its part, the University formed four research thematic groups on 23rd February 2010 headed by Professors, as follows:

1. Economic and Entrepreneurship Research - Prof. John Lungu
2. Mathematical Modeling and Statistical Research – Prof. Frank P. Tailoka
3. Mining and Mineral Processing Research – Prof. Glasswell Nkonde
4. Environment, Industrial and Chemical Research – Prof Overson Shumba.

Prof. John Lungu	Prof. Frank Tailoka
Prof. Glasswell Nkonde	Prof. Overson Shumba

 The institution will begin with the suggested four areas and additional areas and sub-themes will be added over time. The themes cut across disciplines and it will be necessary, therefore, to form multi-disciplinary research teams to make research inputs more comprehensive and well grounded. This will create synergies across faculties, sister institutions within and outside Zambia and promote a healthy staff mix through the incorporation of young researchers in research teams. The creation of synergies is critical in fostering research activities in the University.

The University has earmarked K600 million to fund four selected research projects, one each from the four thematic groups. Group leaders are requested to present two or three research topics from which four institutional topics will be selected for funding. Another amount has been set aside to support two staff development fellows pursuing local graduate studies in identified research areas. The increased research funding is expected to create an impact on the outputs of research activities.

In view of the re-organization of research endavours, disbursement of research funds has been suspended pending the re-alignment of carried forward and current research projects to any of the four thematic groups.