ADDIS ABABA – Universities in Ethiopia, including Addis Ababa University (AAU), have recently launched electronic resources, plagiarism detection software, and research intelligence tools to improve research quality and reliability.
This initiative will be implemented across AAU and 14 other universities.
Jimma University Library Director, Addisalem Girma, explained to the Ethiopian Press Agency (EPA) that this software helps conduct research reliably and independently, enhancing overall quality and reliability, thus benefiting the university community and society at large. “We have been implementing this software since last year in three colleges after providing training and working with AAU. This is particularly beneficial for postgraduate and PhD programs where lecturers check student research for plagiarism.”
Addisalem also noted that AAU facilitated the software’s entry into the universities.
Haramaya University Lecture and Library Director, Tilahun Shiferaw, added that the software offers significant benefits for universities and researchers and is expected to play a crucial role in the future. “Our university invested 1.5 million Birr for the software, with the license package spanning three years. As a member of the Consortium of Ethiopian Academic and Research Libraries (CEARL), this tool greatly enhances our universities,” he stated.
Tilahun further emphasized that the analytic tools help universities check the quality of research and improve research productivity. “We are collaborating with AAU to provide our students and faculty access to the most current and relevant resources available online. The software was purchased collectively by several universities, making it a feasible and beneficial platform for institution of higher education.”
Additionally, electronic journals, e-books, and research intelligence tools will help universities bolster teaching, learning, and research objectives, as well as strengthen library-faculty cooperation. This application will open new opportunities for academics, researchers, and students to explore more knowledge in various disciplines, he remarked.
BY MISGANAW ASNAKE
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD FRIDAY 2 AUGUST 2024
