Villa College’s Institute for Research and Innovation (IRI) has successfully concluded the 10th International Conference on Social Research and Innovation (ICSRI) 2026.
Held from August 8 to 9 at Villa College’s QI Campus, this year’s conference was themed "Tides of Transformation: Shaping Sustainable Futures."
Speaking at the closing ceremony, Conference Chair and Villa College Deputy Vice Rector (Research and Innovation) Dr. Mohamed Adil reflected on the research discussions and exchange of ideas held over the two-day event. He emphasized that research extends beyond the presentation of papers, highlighting the importance of utilizing findings to drive meaningful and positive change within society.
The two-day conference featured three keynote speeches, four panel discussions, and eight "Impact Room" sessions. A total of 116 abstracts were submitted, of which 81 were accepted, alongside 25 full research papers. The event drew 138 participants from academia, government, and various industries.
Representing the evaluation panel, committee member Fathimath Saeed detailed the criteria used to assess the research papers. These included concept and originality, methodology, literature review, presentation skills, and the overall quality and relevance of the paper to the theme.
The award for Best Paper Presentation of the conference was won by Mariyam Hudhuna Shareef for her paper titled "The Effect of Gratitude Journaling on Work Engagement: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Study."
The Best Paper Award for Novice Research was presented to Aishath Dheena, Aminath Wafa Waheed, and Fathimath Arafa. The Best Paper Presentation in the Career Research category was awarded to Dr. Ashlin Nimmo Jr., Dr. Monika Arora, and Dr. Fazeela Ibrahim.
The awards and certificates were presented to the winners by Villa College Deputy Vice Rector (Academic and Students) Dr. Abdulla Sadiq.
