THE management of the University of Abuja (UniAbuja) has established Undergraduate Research Centre as a “catch them young” initiative aimed at encouraging undergraduate students at all levels in the university not only to develop keen interest in research but also know Nigeria’s problems and how to resolve them.
Vice-Chancellor of the University, Professor Abdul-Rasheed Na’Allah, made this known when 41 lecturers of the university who obtained research grants and those who published papers in reputable peer-reviewed, ranked, indexed journals with impact factor in 2020 were honoured.
Speaking at the recognition ceremony for the lecturers, Na’Allah said some got a grant of £287,000 (N143 million) another group got $1.91 million (N436 million) and others received N125 million bringing it to the tune of N704 million.
The award was categorised into gold, silver and bronze based on the value of the grants won. N10, 000,000 and above was awarded Gold; N2, 000, 000 toN10, 000, 000 Silver; and below N2, 000, 000 got Bronze.
The vice-chancellor since assumption of office insisted that the University of Abuja by virtue of its location in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja must be “Number One” university in Nigeria, and has continued to evolve various initiatives to ensure the university stood out in the country, with the Undergraduate Research Centre as novel initiative.
Na’Allah said he realised that undergraduates had opportunities to be developed as world-class researchers, adding that as such the university started the centre as catch them young, where they received support, needed tools, money, equipment and mentorship to succeed.
He noted that the centre which is being headed by a director, gave grant regularly to students after they were allowed to put forward their proposals for review.
He disclosed that the university also developed a new journal called the Journal of Undergraduate Research in which some of these undergraduate researches would be published.
He explained that while funding of undergraduate research by the centre was limited to the students of UniAbuja, other undergraduate students from all over the world could publish their work in the Journal.
“It is very competitive and the goal is that from this level our young people will be able to know the problems of Nigeria and how to resolve them. We hope that by the time they graduate many of them will develop the attitude, structures and strategies to always confront Nigeria’s problem and look for ways to resolve it but that is not all, we have also developed a new journal called the Journal of Undergraduate Research in which some of these undergraduate research would be published,” he said.
According to the vice-chancellor, the grants cut across all levels but limited to students of UniAbuja while the journal will accommodate researches carried out by other students across the globe.
Meanwhile, Professor Na’Allah who expressed joy over the achievements of the lecturers, said the university could not be anything if the staff were nothing.
While noting that management would provide every support to make them excel in their research, the vice-chancellor urged them to attend programmes, especially in the media to allow them to put out their ideas, which would, in turn, give credit to the university because it is doing something for the society and humanity.
Speaking on behalf of the awardees, Dr Dike Ojji, who is a gold medalist, appreciated the management, saying, “This type of recognition makes people want to go higher to achieve more.”
He prayed that the honour would continue on to higher dimensions.
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