The Vice Chancellor University Of Lagos, Prof. Rahamon Bello has said the only way for Nigeria to recover from its present economic recession was to sustain appropriate research into economic activities.
He dropped the hint while declaring open the 11th Unilag Annual Research Conference and Fair with theme “Diversification in a Developing Economy: Promoting Academia-Industry collaboration” held at the institution’s main campus.
According to him, with Nigeria in recession there is need to re-engineer the fabrics of nation’s economic activities to ensure a solid and virile base need of the citizenry, especially looking inward into agriculture.
“Nigeria can achieve greatness , if she has a productive economy where the larger chunk of its material needs are produced locally with the attendant optimal use of our agricultural and natural resources.
The only way to cushion this and sustain it, is through appropriate research into our economic activities, and use of our raw agricultural and natural resources with the aim of establishing novel and viable processes for their uses and applications and by extension export to other users outside of the nation” he added.
Bello said that the University of Lagos is being repositioned as a Research University; hence the purpose for the Research Conference and Fair is being taken with all seriousness.
He disclosed that the institution established a Research and Innovation Unit about three years ago and one of its cardinal functions apart from stimulating inter-disciplinary and multi-disciplinary researches was to assist researchers to identify patentable works and further expose the results of research to end-users to stimulate the economy.
According to him, the Unit has taken up this challenge and has effectively been narrowing the gap between Academic and the Industry through a two-way linkage.
“In the last one year, various interactions between Small and Medium Entrepreneur (SME) operators and researchers in the University ensued as well as interactions among different Manufacturing Association of Nigeria (MAN) groups and researchers in the University. We are beginning to have the feel of the linkages as we expect industry-driven/sponsored researches to become prevalent at the University of Lagos” he stated.
The professor of engineer said that theme of this year’s conference “Diversification in a Developing Economy: Promoting Academia-Industry collaboration” was most appropriate and in consonance with the mood of the nation, stressing that the Conference sought to bring up avenue for exposure to industrialists and entrepreneurs research results that should be taken advantage of, while industrialists and other economic operators could challenge the researchers and open up collaborations on issues with their operations or businesses.
According to him, this is the only way Nigerians collective efforts can yield fruits to the University, the Industry and the National economic development.
The don further disclosed that the 11th Unilag Annual Research Conference and Fair received about 415 abstracts and 191 full papers for presentation, describing development as encouraging.
He further stated that the university was achieving the desired goal of enthroning excellence in academics and research and commended those who have been participating in organizing research-related workshops and seminar as well as those who have worked assiduously to help in achieving these great milestones.
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