26 June
The Second Myanmar Universities’ Research Conference (2020) was organized through video conferencing yesterday.
The event was opened with the national anthem followed by a speech from Union Minister for Education Dr Myo Thein Gyi. He said while COVID-19 has made things a little tough but they are able to convene the conference this year thanks to video conference technology.
The Union Minister thanked Rectors Committee Chairman Dr. Zaw Wai Soe and Research Development Working Committee Chairman Prof Dr Htin Zaw Soe for their lead, keynote speakers Prof Dr Padetha Tin, Prof Liviu Matei and Prof Dr Aung Tun Thet, research paper speakers, and among others attending the conference.
The Union Minister said research culture is essential in universities as it is their lifeblood. He said it is important to perform research that will benefit your region and your nation and gradually the world. He said they allot permitted budgets towards research efforts, equipment and technology.
The Ministry of Education utilized over K1.4 billion towards research efforts in 2017-2018 academic year, K4.2 billion in 2018-2019 academic year, and K5.8 billion in 2019-2020 academic year. He said they discuss research papers based on quality research results and also submits them to domestic and foreign research journals.
The Union Minister said he believes promoting practical curricula based on quality research, producing graduates with the skills to compete for job opportunities, supporting businesses and services with quality research, managing university development with transparent responsibility and accountability, and cooperating with businesses will all strengthen freedom in learning and management.
The Union Minister said while the research conference coincides with the spread of COVID-19, everyone has persevered on with the help of modern technology. He said it was wonderful to see 134 research papers and 16 posters from different universities being submitted to this conference. He called for the conference to promote research culture and head towards autonomous universities.
Next, National Education Policy Commission Chairman Dr Myo Kwyel delivered an address and Dr Zaw Wai Soe gave the opening speech.
NASA scientist Dr Padetha Tin then started the conference with the topic ‘The Importance of Research and the Role of Myanmar Universities’. This was followed by Prof Liviu Matei (Central European University) on ‘University Research and National Development: A Comparative Perspective in a time of Global Crisis’, and Prof Dr Aung Tun Thet on ‘Promoting Research Culture’. The videoconference was attended by 3,400 people including Deputy Minister U Win Maw Tun, the Chairman of the National Education Policy Commission and its members, the Chairman of the Rectors Committee, its members and officials, the domestic and foreign lecturers, directors-general of Ministry of Education departments, rectors and teachers of various universities, researchers, and research paper speakers.
MNA (Translated by Zaw Htet Oo)
