The Directorate of Research and Administration (DRA), 水果派 of Nigeria (NOUN),聽has聽held a聽meeting with聽directors, deans of faculties and postgraduate studies,聽as well as all heads of unit in the university to聽discuss聽plans and聽strategic repositioning of the directorate聽to move it聽forward.
Directors聽of聽RETRIDOL, ACETEL, Advancement and Linkages聽were in attendance during the meeting, held at the headquarters of the university in Abuja.
While chairing the meeting, the newly-appointed director, Prof. Sami M. Ayodele,聽stated that for聽the teaching staff聽to have global recognition, it is important that they carry out research activities that can meet global standards.
鈥淎s we know in any society, research is important when it comes to national development. We have discovered that in NOUN,聽academics are more focused on administration than in research, so it is important that we focus on the research aspect of our mandate.
鈥淥ur roles as academic staff is to carry out quality research; and to boast as an academician, it will depend on the product of our quality researches.聽Therefore,聽as academic staff, it is our responsibility to make sure we undertake research in our various disciplines,鈥 he said.
He acknowledged the setbacks in science in the country, largely associated with the lack of laboratory equipment,聽鈥渂ut we will still push to see what we can do to have more researches carried out as scientists.
鈥淚 called this meeting so that we can rub minds together and see how we can improve on our research activities as a university. We are lagging behind. The more researches we do, the better for us. If we are able to get grants,聽no matter what happens, we will still benefit from it one way or the other.
鈥淚 am encouraging all of us that no matter the circumstance it is important for us to focus on research activities,聽which is the main mandate as an academic.鈥
The director said聽the Vice-Chancellor聽has asked that the directorate should come up with ideas that will improve research activities in the university.
While presenting the proposed roadmap for the directorate, Ayodele said聽the first step they took was to appoint non-academic desk officers from the directorate to each faculty.
The meeting,聽which was an interactive one,聽ended with staff making comments, suggestions and asking questions as to the report presented and how feasible it would be to achieve聽it.
It聽was then adjourned and聽the director聽stated that the date for the next meeting would be announced in due time.