Monrovia – State-run University of Liberia is expected to launch a new forum to encourage intellectual dialogue on its campus.
The forum, dubbed LUX Talk, will focus on intellectual and cultural exchange gear at driving students’ activities to be more academic than violent. It will also encourage and promote academic debates and policy discussions on campus.
It intends to bring policymakers, academics, and top-notch professionals, among others, face-to-face with UL students, faculty and the general public to discuss topics that include politics, economics, sciences, technology, art, music, among others, that stem from an evidence-based point of view.
“As you know, the goal of the University of Liberia is to support national progress and prosperity through human capital development. While the University continues to play such a crucial role, it has experienced continual crises of student riots fueled by the extensive politicization of student life on campus,” said Dr. Ophelia I. Weeks, the university president.
LUX Talk, according to the UL President, is an alternative platform to discourage the growing internecine feuds that currently dominate students’ interactions on campus, which hamper civil and productive intellectual exchange.
By accomplishing this, the UL President noted that there is a need to pioneer a new culture of evidence-sharing and facts-talking; both of which are in short supply in the national discourse.
Instead of shouting at each other, LUX Talk will ensure interactive and civil dialogue amongst students.
Riots and disenchantment have taken the center stage of activities at the University of Liberia in recent time with disagreement among campus base political parties and protest over late registration process being earmarked.
One week ago, students from the campus base, Student Unification Party, SUP disrupted classes due to divergence over chairmanship.
But this according to Week will direct student to be more focus on positive ventures that will promote the image of their institution.
Dr. Week further stated that the LUX Talk is expected to be launched by Finance and Development Planning Minister Samuel D. Tweah on Wednesday, August 15, 2018 the Auditorium of the University of Liberia on Capitol Hill.
Following the launch, a special edition of LUX Talk is expected to follow and will feature a panel of three.
They include, renowned Liberian Journalist and publisher of the Daily Observer newspaper, Kenneth Y. Best; Professor Weade Kobbeh Boley, a Liberian Journalist and former chair of UL’s Department of Mass Communication, and current VP for Administration, Dr. Williams Ezra Allen, a Liberian Historian, former Dean of UL’s Liberia College and current VP for Academic Affairs.
Dr. Weeks further maintained that these panelists are expected to present their individual perspective on the topic, “Evolution of the Liberian State and a review of 171 years of historical development.”