Researches should be directed at solving the numerous global challenges on socio-economic and political planes among countries of the world, particularly the developing ones for wealth creation and development by academics and researchers in various institutions and not for the purpose of promotion or status change.
To achieve this feat, researchers should read wide to access issues deserving attention, plan research proposal well and seek collaborative efforts on researches that fall within national challenges by targeting solution at basic problems.
These were some of the submissions of speakers at the 3rd Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer Workshop with the theme' Research for Wealth Creation: An Intellectual Approach' put together by the Directorates of Intellectual Property and Technology, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye.
The key note speaker, Professor Boakye Daniel from the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana posited that funding remained a major challenge to research and advised there should be collaboration on this with industries that had been identified to have a research need while government should create a special fund for research. In his opinion, supported by other speakers, research must be geared towards solving problems with impact on societal development.
LR: Deputy Vice-Chancellor; Prof. (Mrs.) M. N. Femi-Oyewo, MFR, Guest Speaker;
Prof. Boakye Daniel and Host / Director, Research and Linkages; Prof. N. A. Amusa
Lending their voices as speakers at the two-day workshop, Professor Samuel Oluwalana, a Professor of Forestry and Wildlife Management, University of Agriculture Abeokuta (UNAAB) and Miss Bose Oboh, MD/CEO Fresh Serve were unanimous in their views by advising would- be entrepreneurs to always ask questions on their potentials for business breakthrough and growth. According to them research would lead into wealth creation if proper researches could be carried out and implemented judiciously, particularly in the face of competitions and rivalries. Pofessor Oluwalana who was given an award for his exploits in the use of various plants, trees and other forest potentials for promotion of health said a lot of healing properties could be found in and around our environment saying for instance that it would be hazardous for mankind to be insulated from the earth energy among other bewildering revelations.
In his welcome address the Vice Chancellor, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Professor Wale Are Olaitan said the workshop was a testimony to the ceaseless efforts of the University to promote quality education adding that "I am happy to inform you that this University has all its courses and programmes accredited by the National Universities Commission (NUC)". In the address read on his behalf by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Professor (Mrs.) M.N. Femi-Oyewo, MFR, Professor Olaitan said ' Intellectual Property refers to creation of mind; inventions, literary and artistic works and symbols, names, images and designs use in commerce… adding that "In the Universities, we generate and develop ideas, innovations, products, new technologies just to mention a few". The OOU Vice Chancellor asserted that "the time has come for academics to maximally benefit from their commitment to research and development" for wealth creation saying that "Olabisi Onabanjo University has always been in the fore-front of training self-reliant graduates in Nigeria as the University has just established a Centre for Entrepreneurial Studies that will enhance student's capacity in job creation…"
Speaking earlier, Professor N.A Amusa, Director, Directorates of intellectual Property and Technology Transfer of the University affirmed that Industries depended on researches and wondered why they should be subjected to depend on foreign laboratories despite the existence of researchers in the country.
In a related development, Equity Resort Hotel, Ijebu-Ode was home to members of the University Community on Thursday, 29th October, 2011 to listen to Professor Graig Mahoney, Chief Executive Education Academy Of The United Kingdom who spoke extensively on " Globalization and Higher Education: Challenges and Management of Quality Control"
In his lecture, at the Distinguished Scholar's Lecture of organized by the Faculty of Education as a forum for interaction between the Gown and the Town for mutual understanding and development, Professor Mahoney who alluded to the research driven culture in the United Kingdom said "learning should be the absorption of knowledge using the necessary theories adding 'the time had come to judge academics and make them know that their teachings meet international standards".
Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Prof. (Mrs.) M. N. Femi-Oyewo, MFR
He was unequivocal, affirming that "teaching in the University required teaching qualification as professional development should be sought" with emphasis that "professionalization of teaching is important".
Speaking earlier, the Vice Chancellor, Professor Wale Are Olaitan said the lecture, in his words "is quite relevant to the present challenges facing tertiary institutions in Nigeria" adding ' it is a known fact that higher education institutions in Nigeria had grown by leaps and bounds from the initial three in the early days of independence to about twelve in 1975/76…adding that as at today, Nigeria has a total of 117 Universities made up of 72 State and Federal Universities and forty five private Universities.
The Vice Chancellor, represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Professor (Mrs.) M.N Femi-Oyewo said the aftermath of what he described as 'geometric increase 'in the number of Universities necessitated a higher control from the regulatory body to guarantee academic qualities of most institutions.
Still on lectures, the Centre for Transport Studies is not left out. In its contribution to broadening knowledge horizon, it organized a lecture titled "Aviation Industry in Nigeria: Opportunities and Challenges" which attracted students and lecturers on Wednesday, 12th October, 2011.
The lecturer, a seasoned Aviation expert, Captain Dele Ore took the gathering down memory lane by Illumination on the various opportunities within the industry, the awaiting competitions, functionability of the Aviation system based on interrelatedness of composite systems as well as the various challenges on infrastructure, leadership appointments and policy framework.
The Vice Chancellor, represented by the Dean, Faculty of Education, Professor Lasun Gbadamisi.