The Rector of Unikin, the Professor Jean-Marie Kayembe Ntumba opened, on Monday, March 28, 2022 in the Mgr Luc Gillon Promotions room, the seminar-workshop on "The methodology and the epistemology of scientific research". These 3-day conferences were expected to produce concrete actions, meeting international standards, that would contribute to the advancement of research at Unikin by providing solutions to the nation's problems. Unikin will thus continue its path to reappear in the ranking of the best universities in Africa and the world. Unikin has enormous challenges to face!

From March 28 to March 30, 2022, Unikin researchers and scientists had their work cut out for them. The Secretary General for Research, the Professor Antoine Tshimpi Wola, highlighted the important role of methodology and epistemology in quality scientific research.

 The President of the Scientific Council of the Congolese Independent and Interdisciplinary Research Center (CRIIC), the Professor Matthieu Kalele Kabila called on state authorities to support research at Unikin and other academic institutions. Cutting-edge scientific research is essential for a nation's development.

Several sub-themes were addressed and debated by different speakers in order to make corrections to dissertations and doctoral theses in order to relaunch research in the LMD process.

• “Choose your method and get out of methodism”: Professor Tsambu (Social, Administrative and Political Sciences SSAP).
• “Structure of reality and cognitive process”: Professor Kabeya (Economic Sciences and Management SEG).
• “Paradigms in Scientific Research”: Professor Bongeli (SSAP).
• “Methodological and epistemological debate around Kuhn, Popper, Lakatos and Feyerabend”: Professor Mpiana (SSAP).
• “The Paradigm Debate in Science. Questioning the Heuristic Role of Theory, Method, Techniques, and Concepts”: Professor Ebweme (SSAP).
• “Plagiarism in all its forms: forms, prevention, detention and consequences”: Professors Tshimpi (Medicine), Memvanga (Pharmacy) and Bisa (SSAP).
• “Standards for writing a bachelor’s thesis (Mast.I)”: Professor Tsambu (SSAP).
• “Plea for rigor in scientific work”: Professor Liyongo (SSAP).
• “Conceptualization: the keystone of scientific research”: Professor Palama (SSAP)
• “Development of a research project”: Professor Kabeya Tshikuku (SEG)
• “Action research: methodological approaches of researcher-actors in the dynamics of development”: Professor Bope Lobo (UPN)
• “Methods and Postulates”: Professor Ebweme (SSAP)
• “Standards for Writing a Scientific Article”: Professor Tsambu (SSAP)
• “Discussion and interpretation of research results”: Professor Mvuezolo (SSAP).
• “Formulation of the research hypothesis and construction of the operational framework”: Professor Tsambu (SSAP).
• “Terrain: pitfalls, strategies and tips for escaping”: Professors Mambi (SSAP), Solo (SSAP), Kienge-kienge.
• “Legal criticism as an interpretative grid for scientific discourse”: Professor Mingashang (Law).
• Searching for scientific information online: Professor Baenda (SSAP).

THE Professor Kabeya Tshikuku explained in his presentation the relationship that must exist between the complexity of science and the methods to be used for research in this science. Our research must be focused on our problems. The scientific results obtained must be widely used. The method cannot be unique for all sciences. The most complex sciences have stacked methods while the simplest sciences have only one or two methods.

THE Professor Emile Bongeli stated that knowledge is scientifically valid through the application of a valid and validated methodology. The problem in our country is that we were trained by Western intellectuals who came with knowledge produced according to the interests of their countries.

                                                                                                                                                         Rectorate Press.