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My Journey with Research4Life at Kepler College, Rwanda

Written by Christian Shema Nsenga

As Library Manager at Kepler College in Rwanda, I am deeply committed to empowering our students with the resources they need to conduct high-quality research, excel in their academic pursuits, and contribute meaningfully to our communities. My role has provided me with opportunities to connect with other librarians across Africa and learn from their best practices. These exchanges have significantly improved my ability to provide essential academic resources to our patrons.

One of the most impactful encounters I had was with the library team at Ashesi University in Ghana. During our discussion, the librarian introduced me to Research4Life and shared that Kepler College was eligible to apply for access. Later on, I collaborated with my Dean to submit an application, which was accepted. This marked a turning point for our institution, as we gained access to a vast repository of high-quality academic resources.

Getting started with Research4Life

Before introducing the platform to our faculty and students, I needed to familiarize myself with its functionalities. At the time, I was involved in writing an article on students’ perceptions, which gave me the perfect opportunity to explore Research4Life. I leveraged the platform to conduct an in-depth literature review on the topic. I envisioned how these features could empower our students to conduct more efficient and impactful research, allowing them to delve deeper into their chosen fields of study.

One feature that left a lasting impression on me was Dimensions AI, an integral part of Research4Life resources. This tool offers access to over 100 million articles, a wide range of databases, grants, and more. Its advanced functionalities allowed me to easily find relevant and high-quality academic articles, making my research process easy and rich.

Dimensions AI: A game-changer

Dimensions AI stands out for its comprehensive and user-friendly features. It enables researchers to:

• Filter results by country, year of publication, organization, authors, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), open-access options and many more.
• Access real-time statistics related to the article being read.
• Utilize an AI-powered summarization tool before reading the full article.
• Discover similar articles in the same field of study and many other features.

These features transformed the way I conducted research. The ability to systematically filter and analyze articles ensured I had access to the most relevant and credible sources.

Introducing Research4Life to faculty

After experiencing the benefits of Research4Life first-hand, I was eager to share this resource with the Kepler College faculty. I began by collaborating with the Research Department, where the team’s enthusiasm for Research4Life’s capabilities was clear.

To expand awareness, I co-organized a training session for faculty and academic leadership in partnership with the Directorate of Professional Development. With the support of my colleague Innocent Mugenzi, we structured the session into two main parts:

1. Navigating the Search Functionality: We demonstrated how to use both the simple and advanced search functions available on Research4Life’s Summons platform. This included practical exercises on using Boolean operators, applying filters, and interpreting search results effectively.
   
   
2. Exploring Dimensions AI: The second part of the session focused on Dimensions AI. We highlighted its diverse research capabilities, guiding participants through its various tools and options. By equipping faculty with the skills to effectively utilize Research4Life, we aim to enhance the quality of student learning and research across all disciplines. Faculty members were particularly impressed by the AI-assisted summarization feature and the ability to find related articles effortlessly.
   

By the end of the training, both the faculty and academic leadership expressed their appreciation for the platform’s potential to improve research at Kepler College.

Plans for 2025 onwards: Empowering students

Building on the success of the faculty training, our next goal is to ensure that students, especially those conducting research or enrolled in research-related modules, are well-versed in using Research4Life.

To achieve this, we plan to:

1. Conduct student training: Organize workshops and training sessions that teach students the basics of using Research4Life to find credible sources, conduct literature reviews, and write research papers or capstone projects.
   
2. Integrate Research4Life into research modules: Work with faculty to incorporate Research4Life into the curriculum, ensuring students regularly use the platform as part of their learning experience.

We anticipate that Research4Life will significantly enhance research capabilities at Kepler College, empowering both faculty and students to conduct high-quality research and contribute meaningfully to the academic world. As we move forward, we are committed to ensuring that both faculty and students fully benefit from this platform, enabling them to excel in their academic endeavours. Research4Life is not just a resource—it’s a catalyst for advancing research and learning at Kepler College.