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By Gabriel Dike
The Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo has challenged the nation’s academic community to lead the way by proffering solutions that would transform the country to a better one.
He also observed that the academic community recommendations hold the potentials to reshape policies and practices in the country.
The minister, who spoke at the International Week at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), asked the academic community to advocate for evidence-based decision-making that priorities the welfare and prosperity of Nigerians.
“I have unwavering faith in the transformative power of educational research. I believe that together, we can break the borders that hinder collaboration and unlock a brighter future for Nigeria and by extension, Africa.
“Let our academic community be at the forefront of this noble endeavour, inspiring the next generation to build a Nigeria that thrives in unity, innovation and shared propriety,” he stressed.
The minister charged the academic community to engage with policy-making, industry leaders, and civil society to ensure that their insights are translated into action.
He said the academic community as custodian of knowledge has a pivotal role to play by building partnership that are not bound by limitations but empowered by possibilities.
Tunji-Ojo implored them to continue their invaluable work, not only within the walls of their institutions but also in broader context of the society.
The minister added: “Through innovative research, academic recommendations, and forward thinking curriculum, you can instill in our new generation of Nigerians a profound understanding of the imperative of collaboration over competition.”
In her address, UNILAG Vice Chancellor, Prof. Folasade Ogunsola, said the gathering is positioned to provide useful presentations that would chart the future for a robust integration of the knowledge, power through collaboration and partnership.
Ogunsola said the gathering of scholars for the 3rd International week of UNILAG would offer another opportunity to underscore the importance of international cooperation in higher education.
“We at the University of Lagos recognize the importance of such a process in prompting a diverse, inclusive, and globally engaged community. Our idea of an annual gathering during the International Week is one of our contributions to evolving such a process, “she noted.
She said there was growing recognition among university managers that if the universities and like institutions, as research, teaching and learning arena, are going to be valuable to the knowledge economy of the 21st Century, they would have to adapt to the internationalizing higher education.
The VC argued that the productivity of academic as the gateway to a knowledge economy is enriched by cross-fertilization of thoughts and ideas that add depth and breadth to knowledge and understanding.
According to her, during the COVID-19 pandemic, institutions took action to evolve a new culture committed to promoting local and global knowledge sharing, partnership and collaborative actions to advance teaching, learning and research.
The VC revealed that UNILAG in the last couple of years increased the number of bilateral and multilateral arrangements with other international educational institutions especially in the UK and Africa, with improvement in its internationalization tendencies.
