Momentum, mentorship, and manuscripts in progress – that was the atmosphere from 3 – 5 February 2026, when the University Capacity Development Programme (UCDP) hosted its highly anticipated Publication Retreat at the Coastlands Musgrave Hotel. Facilitated by Professor Alvin Munsamy, the three-day retreat brought emerging researchers together from all four colleges for an intensive, hands-on experience designed to move research from concept to confident journal submission. Participants received comprehensive guidance on selecting suitable journals, understanding the editorial workflow and responding effectively to reviewer feedback, while benefiting from structured writing time and expert mentorship in a supportive academic environment.
The retreat was met with enthusiastic feedback from attendees. One participant described it as “the best UCDP workshop I have ever attended; the facilitator was knowledgeable and empathetic to participants. A brilliant scholar of note!” Another added, “I want to commend the whole team that facilitated the conference from UCDP, its sponsors, the administration and the workshop facilitator. I had a great experience, and I will use it to my advantage to publish.”
The overwhelmingly positive response reflects UCDP’s continued commitment to strengthening research capacity and supporting scholars
