Dear Colleagues,
I hope this message finds you all in good health and high spirits. It is my great pleasure to introduce myself as the new Associate Dean Research for the Faculty of Business, Justice, and Behavioural Sciences (FOBJBS) at Charles Sturt University (CSU). I am truly excited to join this vibrant academic community and embark on a journey of research excellence together.
I am extremely thankful to our previous Associate Dean Research, Prof Mark Morrison for leading and guiding us in research for so long. I am also very grateful to our Executive Dean Prof Lewis Bizo and the entire selection panel for their trust and confidence in me. I’d like to highlight my intention to collaborate closely with the Faculty Leadership team and our Heads of School, under the wise guidance of our Executive Dean Prof Lewis Bizo. Their wisdom and direction will be invaluable as we forge ahead in our research endeavours.
Having had the privilege of already working for more than 15 years with many of my excellent colleagues in FOBJBS, I am now eager to get to know each of us more closely, as we work collectively to drive our research efforts to new heights. Please allow me to share a glimpse of my vision for research within our faculty following the university research strategies, which I believe will not only enhance our individual and collective accomplishments but also solidify our reputation as a research-intensive institution.
One of our primary objectives will be to increase our external funding for research projects. I firmly believe that our faculty holds immense potential to secure more grants, and I am committed to providing my support to achieve this. By actively pursuing more external funding opportunities, we can strengthen our research initiatives and ensure that our innovative ideas translate into impactful outcomes solving real-life problems.
I believe that some of the most ground-breaking research happens at the intersection of disciplines. Cross disciplinary research can also allow us to create our research strength and branding in less competitive areas if that is helpful. Having great academics from various discipline areas in our Faculty I think we are very well positioned to take advantage of cross disciplinary research and also support research activities beyond our Faculty and beyond CSU. To harness this potential, I am eager to facilitate cross-disciplinary collaborations within our faculty and beyond. These collaborations will not only enrich our research endeavours but also create opportunities for ground-breaking discoveries that can address complex societal challenges.
Collaboration is at the heart of research excellence. My goal is to promote a culture of collaboration that is built on mutual respect and shared goals. Whether it’s within our faculty or through external partnerships, I would love to see us working together seamlessly, supporting each other’s research endeavours, and achieving remarkable results.
Quality research deserves a quality platform. I am committed to encouraging our wonderful colleagues in publishing their work in reputable journals and venues. By achieving top-quality publications, we can maximize the impact of our research, increase our citations and contribute significantly to our field.
To ensure the world knows about our achievements, we must enhance our visibility on a national and international scale. This includes showcasing our research through conferences, publications, and online platforms. I believe our presence on online platforms such as Google Scholar, LinkedIn, Research Gate, Academia, ORCID and others will increase our visibility resulting in inherent benefits including increased citations, collaboration, and external funding. I would love to work with my colleagues to elevate the visibility of FOBJBS and CSU in the national and global research community.
As we embark on this journey together, your input and ideas will be invaluable. I encourage you to reach out to me with your thoughts, suggestions, and aspirations for research within our faculty. Together, we can create an environment where innovative research thrives, and where each of us can contribute to the broader academic community, within and beyond CSU.
I look forward to working closely with all of my wonderful colleagues to achieve our shared vision of research excellence. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you’d like to discuss any aspect of our research initiatives.
Let us set sail on this exciting voyage towards research excellence, and I am confident that, together, we will continue to achieve remarkable milestones and leave a lasting impact on our fields of study.
Warm regards,
Prof Zahid Islam,