From Aloysius Attah, Onitsha
The Acting Vice Chancellor, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU), Anambra State, Professor Kate Omenugha has inaugurated the university Research Management Office, (RMO) team with a call on them to identify private sector research needs which she said, may be met through collaboration with COOU’s researchers and as well facilitate linkages with the private sector for the sponsorship of researches conducted in the University.
Restating the commitment of the university towards quality education under her watch, the Acting Vice Chancellor charged the team to provide a directory of private sector research development activities, develop and submit proposals that are satisfactory to funding agencies and create a research hub of young scholars and postgraduate students knowledgeable in grant and proposal writing.
Prof Omenugha said the RMO was primarily composed of academics and scholars who were expected to fast track research advancement processes through multidisciplinary approaches consciously targeted at funded research using innovative approaches to access various grants.
“Specifically we target the National Research Funds, TETfund, grants from funding agencies, private sector, Erasmus/ Erasmus plus, international linkages and collaborations.
“It is hoped that the RMO would aid the university in the visibility and viability we seek”, the Acting Vice Chancellor stated.
She tasked them to provide a university friendly legal framework for the negotiation of grants and research contracts, ensure financial probity, transparency, accountability and ethical considerations in the research processes and monitor same, identify, develop, protect and market university intellectual property and patents.
The newly inaugurated RMO members included: Prof J.C. Ifemeje – Director; Dr. JonhBosco Egbueri – Associate Director; Dr. Chinonso S. Ekesiobi – Associate Director; Prof. Ngozi Ikechebelu – Head, Collaboration & Linkages; Dr. Uju Muogbo – Associate Head, Collaboration & Linkages; Dr. Lawrence Uche Okoye – Collaboration & Linkages; Dr. Ikechukwu Emmanuel Asika – Collaboration & Linkages.
Others include Dr. Odira Okeke – Collaboration and Linkages; Prof. Johnpaul Iloh – Head, Intellectual Property & Patents; Prof. Uchechukwu V. Okpala – Associate Head, Intellectual Property & Patents; Dr. Ruth Afunwa – Intellectual Property & Patents; Dr. Izuchukwu Ifedi – Intellectual Property & Patents; Dr. Ikenna Ibeh – Legal; Rev. Fr. Justin Ileka – Legal; Dr. Chinelo Iyama, Account/ Finance and Dr. Ifeyinwa Obi – Account/ Finance.