GCTU has hosted a pivotal PhD review session on Tuesday, June 24, 2025, at the Vice-Chancellor’s Conference Room on the School of Graduate Studies and Research (SGSR) block.
The session which marked the second in a series of reviews for the 2023 cohort, aimed at assessing the progress of doctoral candidates in Computer Science.
The session featured presentations from seven PhD candidates whose theses span critical areas of computer science, including machine learning applications in healthcare and education, as well as data security for wearable medical devices. The six-member panel of reviewers was chaired by a Research Coordinator, Prof. Alfred Coleman.
In his remarks, Prof. Coleman commended both students and panelists for their dedication, while also emphasizing the importance of timelines and accountability. “We are left barely with two years,” he noted. “At the end of the third year, your research must go for external examination and that process demands a lot of time. Without systematic hard work, the time will fly by.”
To ensure sustained progress, Prof. Coleman announced the implementation of supervisor-student agreements, which will outline submission timelines, regular meetings and expectations. He urged students to take the initiative in engaging their supervisors, stating, “If you don’t pursue your supervisor to have time with you, I bet you, he cannot have time for you.”
In a follow-up interview, Prof. Coleman expressed his satisfaction with the students’ progress. “There is a tremendous improvement,” he said. “They have really improved a lot. We even never expected that they could have gone this far, but they have.”
He also highlighted the relevance of the students’ work, particularly those focusing on machine learning and its applications in solving real-world problems.
The session was not just a review – It served as a motivation platform, where students could receive constructive feedback and re-align their research trajectories. One of the PhD candidates randomly picked for a chat and whose research focuses on Data Security for Wearable Medical Devices, shared insights regarding his work. “These devices collect specific datasets like heart rate and general health indicators. The concern is about how secure this data is as it travels over the Internet,” he explained.
Reflecting on the feedback from the panel, the student acknowledged the need to improve his pace. “I’ve published about two papers already, and a third is in the pipeline. But I have to push harder to meet the two-year timeline.” He encouraged his peers to maintain strong communication with their supervisors: “They hold the key to helping you achieve success. Engage them consistently.”
The University is set to hold another review session for PhD candidates in Information Technology on Thursday, June 26, 2025.
