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The Vice Chancellor and Principal of the University of Sierra Leone, Professor Aiah Lebbie, has announced plans to introduce a paperless dissertation submission system as part of efforts to modernize academic processes and reduce the financial burden on graduating students.
The initiative will see the University transition from the traditional practice of printing and binding dissertations to a digital repository platform known as the DSpace Archive System, which will be used to store, manage, and preserve academic research electronically.
According to Professor Lebbie, the move is intended to ease the cost implications associated with dissertation submission while improving the accessibility, storage, and management of scholarly work produced by students across the institution.
He noted that the new system forms part of the University’s broader digital transformation agenda aimed at enhancing efficiency and aligning academic operations with international best practices in higher education.
Professor Lebbie further emphasized that the introduction of the digital repository will be accompanied by strict measures to uphold academic integrity and research standards. Under the new framework, all dissertations and research papers submitted through the platform will undergo rigorous plagiarism and originality checks using Turnitin software.
He explained that the verification process will also help identify content generated through artificial intelligence and other forms of academic misconduct. Research papers found to violate the University’s academic integrity requirements or fail originality assessments will not be approved for inclusion in the institution’s official database.
The Vice Chancellor stated that the policy is designed not only to promote genuine scholarship but also to ensure that academic research produced by students meets accepted standards of quality, originality, and credibility.
The planned introduction of the paperless dissertation submission system is expected to benefit thousands of students by reducing printing costs, streamlining submission procedures, and strengthening the University’s commitment to innovation, accountability, and academic excellence.
