“Capitol Hill Campus, University of Liberia, August 9, 2025 | The University of Liberia (UL) has held a one-day Ph.D. Retreat open to all UL Terminal Degree-Holders. The Ph.D. retreat was organized by the President of the University of Liberia, Prof. Dr. Layli Maparyan, and held on Thursday, August 7, 2025, at the Liberia Learning Center in Paynesville, Montserrado County.
The retreat was held to discuss topics such as creating a Ph.D. and Terminal degree-centric university, Ph.D. and other terminal degree leadership in pursuit of excellence, and retooling UL’s professional development strategy, like study leave.
The study leave aims to enable more master’s level faculty to obtain Ph.Ds. and other terminal degrees that strategically enhance the university curriculum, catalyzing a culture of research, innovation, and creativity at UL.
As part of the goals, Dr. Maparyan stressed achieving gender balance and disability inclusion in the faculty and the curriculum, and responding to government budgetary mandates in the year ahead.
“We will also engage in an exercise to explore and rank faculty priorities for action in an effort to inform strategic planning and fundraising. So you can see why this retreat had to be all day,” said Dr. Maparyan.
She reminded UL Faculty Members that Ph.Ds. and other terminal degrees are the summit of formal education around the world, admonishing them to lead the University of Liberia to be capable of offering that summit in all of the degree programs that the nation needs.
“We need to gradually move the university in the direction of, first of all, a Ph.D. and Terminal Degree-Holder-centric university, meaning that the majority of departments have multiple Ph. D.s,” the UL President said.
She also wants them to work together to uplift the standard and the practice of education at the University of Liberia.
“This is about us collectively understanding a collective purpose for us to work together on behalf of the University of Liberia. So this is why I called everyone together,” Dr. Maparyan continued.
Regarding upgrading Faculty welfare, Dr. Maparyan agreed that they are not where they need to be, stating that she cares deeply about advancing their salaries. However, the UL President indicated that it can only be advanced by making some other things stop that are either costing or leaking money.
“I agree 100% that you guys are not where you need to be, but I can only advance it if I free up money and or get money from fundraising,” said Dr. Maparyan.
Concerning students’ protests, she suggested the need to encourage them to tamp it down. “We don’t want to get in the way of their freedom of speech, but it does not need to be in the paper as violent every other day because funders are looking at that, and they are not funding us because of it, and that is something we need to end,” Dr. Maparyan added.
Following the President’s introductory statement, she carried out an exercise to gather from the Faculty what they love about being a faculty member at UL, what drives them crazy about being a faculty member at UL, what their dreams are for faculty at UL, and what their biggest worries are for UL Faculty.
Each participant provided written answers to each of the questions, and still had an opportunity to state their answers verbally during the interactive sessions at the Ph.D. Retreat.
Across the floor, participants appreciated the essence of the retreat, expressed willingness to work together, and also stated their desire to see improvement in their general welfare and the working environment across the University.” U.L.
