The Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP) has launched the second phase of its Liberia National Student Hub initiative, setting an ambitious target to train 500 university students in research, artificial intelligence, policy analysis, and professional communication, as Liberia moves to strengthen the role of young people in evidence-based national development.
The five-day capacity-building program, launched on Monday, September 28, 2026, by the Liberia Macroeconomic Policy Analysis Center (LIMPAC) through the Department of Economic Management, is being held under the theme, “Empowering Students for Professional Excellence.”
Unlike the first phase, which focused largely on dialogue and stakeholder discussions, the latest phase is designed to provide students with practical technical skills that can be applied to academic research, policymaking and professional careers.
The initiative comes as policymakers increasingly emphasize the need for reliable data and credible research to inform decisions affecting Liberia’s economic and social development.
Under the program, participating students are expected to receive intensive training in research methods using SPSS statistical software, artificial intelligence for research, policy brief and factsheet development, report writing, and effective communication.
Speaking on the issue, Assistant Minister of External Resource and Debt Management at the MFDP, Alice Williams, said the program represents a deliberate move from discussing national challenges to equipping young Liberians with the skills needed to confront them.
“Today, we are taking the next step moving from dialogue to capacity building, and from identifying challenges to developing the skills needed to address them,” Williams said.
She narrated that the government’s ambition is to train 500 students and establish a network of young researchers and innovators capable of contributing to national development.
Williams further disclosed that the initiative is expected to expand beyond Monrovia, with plans to take the program to all 15 counties so that students across Liberia can benefit from professional development opportunities.
For LIMPAC Executive Director Dr. P. Padolo Moye, the central challenge is not merely collecting information, but ensuring that data and research can be transformed into evidence capable of influencing decisions.
“The most pressing challenges of our time demand not only rigorous analysis but also the ability to translate that analysis into language that informs decisions, shapes policy, and improves lives,” Dr. Moye said. He stressed that the training is intended to move students away from relying primarily on intuition and toward producing conclusions supported by credible data.
Moye added, “This training is about moving beyond intuition toward credible, data-driven conclusions and communicating them with clarity and purpose.
The first phase of the Liberia National Student Hub was held at the University of Liberia and brought students into discussions with stakeholders on issues including domestic revenue mobilization and youth unemployment.
Moreover, the second phase shifts the focus toward practical application, with students expected to develop competencies that could enable them to conduct research, analyze data, prepare policy documents and communicate findings more effectively.
The initiative forms part of the government’s broader effort to build a generation of young professionals capable of contributing to evidence-based policymaking and national development. LIMPAC, a semi-autonomous unit within the MFDP, is mandated to provide macroeconomic analysis, capacity-building support and policy advice aimed at strengthening Liberia’s development agenda.
