SGRC-WA “Paper Workshop” Series
Re-Published: May 2025 
Source: (SGRC-WA Relations Office)
Session 1 – Laying the Groundwork
Date: December, 2024
The first session of the Paper Workshop Series established the foundation for collaborative academic development at SGRC-WA. Members gathered to explore the concept of disciplinary clusters and initiated discussions around personal research interests, aiming to align individual academic trajectories with collective goals. The session highlighted the importance of cultivating a long-term research culture and establishing clear directions.
Session 2 – Refining Research Directions
Date: December, 2024
In the second installment, participants built on the initial discussions, presenting refined ideas and potential research questions. Senior scholars provided constructive feedback, encouraging the integration of comparative perspectives, particularly in China-Ghana studies. The session focused on aligning methodologies with research themes and identifying pathways to publication.
Session 3 – Deepening Collaborative Inquiry
Date: January, 2025
The Sino-Ghana Research Center for West Africa (SGRC-WA) successfully held the third session of its ongoing “Paper Workshop” series, part of the center’s academic programming for 2025-2026. Hosted by the Center, the seminar brought together faculty and researchers for a dynamic exchange of ideas to refine individual research directions and promote collective scholarly growth.
Building on the momentum from the previous sessions, this third installment reinforced SGRC-WA’s commitment to sustained academic dialogue. Prof. YANG Rongguang, the dean of the School of Foreign Studies and Trade, opened the session with remarks about the challenges facing foreign language disciplines in academic publishing. He reaffirmed the center’s strategy of adopting the "paper workshop" model to foster discipline-based group collaboration and generate new academic insights and research outputs.
SGRC-WA scholars gather for the third seminar of the 2024-2025 academic year to align research priorities and inaugurate the center’s 'paper workshop' initiative to advance interdisciplinary inquiry
Participants showcased diverse research interests, many positioned at the intersection of language, culture, and international relations. These topics exemplify the center’s vibrant interdisciplinary approach and the diversity of its scholars’ backgrounds.
Session conveners, including Dr. Gbologah (LiMu), Dr. Hou, Prof. Yang, and Prof. Zhai, provided targeted feedback to sharpen the focus of each research direction. The facilitators emphasized the importance of empirical and culturally grounded research in enhancing China-Ghana academic understanding, identifying it as a relatively underexplored yet promising area.
The workshop concluded with a clear roadmap: participants should clarify their research trajectories and work toward concrete outcomes. Future sessions will continue to build on this foundation, offering an iterative, collaborative environment for developing scholarly work.
