The vice-chancellor, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, Professor Joseph Eberendu Ahaneku, has stressed the need for lecturers in the nation’s institutions of higher learning to conduct researches that will address critical societal issues.
Professor Ahaneku gave the charge at the 2018 Postgraduate Research Workshop with the theme ‘Deepening Research Competence for Effective Scholarship’.
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Addressing participants at the university’s auditorium on Tuesday last week, Ahaneku said those mentoring the younger generation of scholars should conduct researches capable of solving problems, especially in their own country.
He emphasised that one cannot be a Ph.D holder yet not independent in conducting researches.
The vice chancellor also stressed that scholars are expected to update and upgrade themselves with current trends in research investigations, especially as the emphasis is on information, communication technology compliance.
He spoke on the need to properly mentor and groom younger researchers in order to launch them into the 21st century research competence, adding that scholars from diverse academic endeavours were invited to the workshop to discuss various areas in research.
The host and dean of the School of Postgraduate Studies of UNIZIK, Professor Ike Odimegwu, said the programme was organized because of the need to address complaints about poor quality of academic research conduct and output of lecturers and students in the universities.
He explained that the brainstorming session on improving quality of research is an annual event, and called on government to fund development of research competence in order to engender qualitative output for the development of industries and the economy of the country.