Think Like a Researcher is Serene Planet’s flagship academic skill-building initiative that strengthens research capacity among university students in Bangladesh. Through 135 in-depth sessions — including workshops, seminars, and webinars — the program helped over 2,000 graduate and postgraduate students across 15 universities gain confidence in academic research, proposal writing, and higher study readiness.
Think Like a Researcher
Project Snapshot
| Start Date | 20 January 2023 |
|---|---|
| End Date | 15 December 2024 |
| Category | Quality Education |
| Location | 15 Public Universities across Bangladesh |
| Direct Impacted | 2,000+ Graduate and Postgraduate Students |
| Total Workshops | 26 |
| Total Seminars | 31 |
| Total Webinars | 78 |
| Funding | Voluntary and Institutional Support |
IN DEPTH
Many students in public universities graduate without having written a proper research proposal or thesis. Some are overwhelmed by the idea of academic writing, while others are unsure where or how to start. For first-generation university students in particular, research often feels like an intimidating process reserved for an elite few.
We found that limited access to mentors, lack of research-based coursework, and a shortage of practical training left students underprepared and anxious. Additionally, most existing sessions on research methods were either overly theoretical or designed for faculty, not tailored to beginners. Some students were unfamiliar with key terms like “literature review” or “research gap,” and many had never opened a peer-reviewed journal.
In certain institutions, getting administrative support for workshops was also a challenge, with some departments hesitant to allocate time and space for “extra-academic” activities. Despite these hurdles, the demand from students was clear — they wanted help, they just didn’t know where to find it.
Our team responded by designing a three-tier training structure: Orientation Sessions, Skill-Building Workshops, and Higher Study Preparedness Seminars. The content ranged from understanding research questions and ethics to using tools like Google Scholar, Zotero, and basic SPSS functions.
We collaborated with young researchers, university faculty, and experienced postgraduate students to serve as facilitators — ensuring the sessions were both academically credible and relatable. Sessions were held in classrooms, seminar halls, and online platforms, allowing for flexible participation.
Workshops were interactive, not lecture-heavy. Students developed mock proposals, practiced citation styles, and participated in real-time Q&A. We also created and distributed simplified research guides in Bangla and English, and offered one-on-one feedback hours post-session. Importantly, we made sure no student was turned away — whether from social science, science, or arts backgrounds.
The impact of the initiative was visible almost immediately. Over 2,000 students across 15 universities participated in our sessions — a diverse mix of disciplines and academic years. Many students who had never considered applying for a research-based master’s or MPhil began preparing applications with renewed confidence.
Students reported that they felt more capable of identifying topics, framing questions, and reading academic texts. More than 300 participants submitted their first research outlines as part of the workshop exercises. At least 45 students contacted our facilitators for follow-up mentoring, and several used their new skills to prepare scholarship and conference applications.
Faculty members at partner universities also began engaging more deeply, with some departments requesting recurring workshops each semester. The ripple effect was clear — research started becoming something students saw themselves doing, not just reading about.