In light of the recent surge in HEC accreditations and the proliferation of research journals in Pakistan, educators and professors have taken active measures to inspire their students to publish research articles on social media platforms-and endeavour deserving of commendation. Nevertheless, it is paramount to acknowledge that the essence of this endeavour transcends mere quantitative metrics; it serves as a clarion call to elevate the intrinsic value of research.
The pursuit of publishing more articles should not be misconstrued as an attempt to add drops to an already burgeoning sea of publications.
From my vantage point, the pursuit of publishing more articles should not be misconstrued as an attempt to add drops to an already burgeoning sea of publications. What carries genuine significance is the alignment of our research endeavours with the exigent needs of society and the nation. Before disseminating research findings, it is incumbent upon us to pose two pivotal questions: Does this research unearth hitherto uncharted insights? Does it introduce something novel and distinctive to the existing corpus of knowledge?
At its core, research is predicated on two cardinal objectives:
The pursuit of discovery
The act of invention
Consequently, if our research endeavours falter in their quest to unveil new frontiers beyond the boundaries of existing knowledge, then the merit of recycling pre-existing information gleaned from various sources diminishes considerably. Such a practice, at its zenith, merely offers incremental benefits to society.
Let me share my experience of seeing the curriculum vitae of the Dean of the Faculty of Law at a prominent university revealed a mere nine authored articles. However, the intrinsic impact of several of these articles reverberated significantly. They wielded influence over policymakers, shaped the contours of legislation, and served as guiding lights in court judgments based on their profound findings. In essence, these articles were catalysts for transformative change in the lives of thousands.
It follows that unless our academic research is characterized by high impact and its alignment with the greater societal good, it risks relegation to a mere tool for advancing the careers of faculty members. Inevitably, this perpetuates a cycle of unproductivity. Our aspiration should be research endeavours that transcend the acquisition of knowledge for knowledge’s sake and instead apply it with profound purpose toward the amelioration of our society and nation.
The writer is a law lecturer at Curtin University and Tweets @AbdullahFazi.