Yunnan University aims to improve teacher, student writing

Jeffrey Robens, senior editorial development manager of academic journal Nature Portfolio - collection of  Nature's journals and services, holds an online lecture. [Photo/WeChat account of YNU International Cooperation and Exchange Office]

To help teachers and students from Yunnan University, or YNU, improve their English paper writing levels - and boost the success rate of submissions and the international influence of its academic research - YNU and the world-class academic journal Nature held a natural science research lecture on Feb 16-18.

The online lecture was given by the senior editorial development manager of UK-based Nature Portfolio, Jeffrey Robens PhD, who has 20 years of academic experience and research background. To date, he has conducted 361 training courses in natural scientific research and given lectures in 27 countries on five continents.

From effective academic writing, dissertation structures, to improving dissertation visibility, dissertation publication ethics and strategies for successful submissions - through to peer group reviews and publication - the lecture was widely regarded as being highly practical.

More than 260 teachers and students from relevant scientific research fields at YNU participated in the event. Although the COVID-19 epidemic hindered on-site meetings, the interactive part of the lecture made teachers and students enthusiastic and they asked a raft of questions and discussed topics enthusiastically.

Both teachers and students at YNU said that they had gained many new skills in academic paper writing in the lecture and would immediately apply them.

Plans are for the university to continue to develop a high-level academic international exchange and cooperation platform, to help teachers and students improve their scientific research and academic capabilities.