David Onwuchekwa, Nnewi
Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU), Uli, Anambra State has brainstormed on the importance of scientific research and its positive impact on tertiary institutions in Nigeria and the society at large.
This was thrashed out at second international conference of the faculty code-named, FAPSCON 2019, with the theme: “Repositioning the Narratives of Scientific Research for Sustainable Development.” The event attracted distinguished academics from various universities across Nigeria including the Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Professor Abel Olayinka.The Dean, Faculty of Physical Sciences of the COOU, Professor Osita Chiaghanam said the conference availed the faculty an opportunity to showcase its vast research works and inventions that proffer solutions to a lot of unanswered questions in society.
In his presentation, Professor Olayinka, said universities without research ran the risk of becoming glorified secondary schools. He said such universities would not be able to generate new knowledge for themselves.
He mentioned increase in general legislation, regulation, protection of research subject, human or animal, government policies on university funding, among others as some of the issues affecting research.
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Orient Petroleum Resources, Sunny Okoye, an engineer, in his presentation, submitted that the current perception was that many scientific research efforts ended up unexploited, under or un-utilized, unknown to prospective beneficiaries.