From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
University of Abuja (UniAbuja) has disbursed N5,450,00 to six of its students to execute some research work on different areas that includes health, clean energy, environment, and a few other areas of need.
Vice-Chancellor of the school, Prof. Aisha Sani Maikudi, presented the cheque to the students, on Tuesday, at the University campus in Abuja, and urged them to make maximum use of the funds as provided so they could bring transformational solutions to several human challenges.
She said: “At the UniAbuja, we are committed to fostering an environment where curiosity thrives, creativity flourishes, and innovation leads to solutions for societal challenges. This commitment aligns perfectly with our focus of promoting national development through research which calls for purposeful inquiry and actionable outcomes.
“As undergraduates, you are the next generation of thought leaders and change-makers. Your involvement in research prepares you not only for academic excellence but also for contributing meaningfully to our nation’s growth.
“Whether it is in addressing health challenges, advancing technology, enhancing governance, or ensuring sustainability, the solutions to our greatest national issues lie in the quality of ideas that emerge from platforms like this.”
She commended UniAbuja Centre for Undergraduate Research for its dedication to nurturing young minds and providing them with the tools to tackle real-world problems.
“Let us remember that the purpose of research is not just to acquire knowledge, but to transform it into progress for society. I encourage all participants to engage actively, collaborate effectively, and think boldly,” she added.
Director, UniAbuja Centre for Undergraduate Research, Prof. Taibat Atoyebi, in her remarks, explained the processes that culminated in the selection of the six students, and approval of their research proposals.
She said: “In preparation for this Research Day, 21 group of students expressed interest in the research grant. 13 teams were shortlisted to submit research proposals, and were given the opportunity to orally defend their proposals. Six research proposals scaled through and were awarded the research grant.
“A total of N5,450,000.00 is the total grant being awarded. Three students who had presented their research proposals during the previous research day are also presenting their final results/research findings at this event.
“Meanwhile, we are receiving applications and proposals from interested group of students for the next batch of grant. But we have modified our criteria to include Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), i.e our student researches must directly be traced to any of the SDGs, and must be able to solve our pertinent societal needs.
“The next research day will be coming up in the second semester. Research output from proposals being presented today would be presented during the 7th research day.”
Guest Speaker, Joy Musa from the Ulearniverse, congratulated the students for winning the research grant, encouraging others in subsequent batches to prioritize solutions to several being faced in the society.
She informed the students that the world of works have changed significantly, and that employers of labour are looking for solution providers, and not people parading certificate they can’t defend.