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Francis Onoiribholo
Former Vice President of Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), Dr. Timothy Ogunseye has charged polytechnic lecturers to dwell more on research and innovative strategies that would aid technological and socio-economic advancement.
Ogunseye gave the charge at a one-day capacity building workshop on National Research Funds (NRF), held in Auchi Polytechnic, Auchi, Edo.
The workshop Themed, “Funding Opportunities for Researchers” is organised by the Auchi polytechnic chapter of ASUP.
Ogunseye who is a senior lecturer in the Department of Banking & Finance, Federal Polytechnic Ilaro said there was a need for the academic staff of polytechnic to be impactive, innovative and research-oriented.
“Regardless of our ages and status, let us feel humble to submit ourselves to mentorship from those who are more knowledgeable than us in research craftsmanship.
” Let us tap into the experiences of beneficiaries of TETFund NRF grants in this institution anytime we need their assistance.
“Let us embrace research culture as a way of life to systematically sharpen our skills in this area,” he said.
Ogunseye noted that the capacity building for academic staff is to unveil some of the processes and procedures required for successful research grants.
He added that the workshop also highlighted some mistakes to be avoided, adding that recommendations would be made to overcome some of these challenges.
” It is hoped that we shall harness this lecture note as a practice direction for better performances in the future NRF and indeed, other grant applications,” he said.
Ogunseye pointed out the National Research Fund was established by the Federal Government, through the Tertiary Education Trust Fund as a funding agency for cutting-edge research that benefits national development.
He added that TETFund also established a national committee of experts, drawn from the three tiers of tertiary education to manage the process leading to the grant of funds.
“Over the years, the TETFund Board of Trustees approve annual budgetary grants to the committee for funding cutting edge research.
” This has varied from N5 billion to N7.5billion in the recently concluded grant cycle and with prospects for increment in no distant future,” he said.
He, however urged academic staff to upscale their research skills and upgrade the quality of research proposals expected to push out.
In his remarks, the Rector of the institution, Dr. Salisu Umar, stressed the need to train and encourage people to engage in innovative research to enhance development.
Umar, who was represented by Dr. Edith Oyati, Deputy Rector (Administration), said the management is committed to equipping academic staff with knowledge and skills for institutional growth and societal transformation.
“Researches are keys to the growth of a nation particularly a developing one like ours.
“At Auchi polytechnic, we will continue to expand the frontiers of research through development of human resources,” she said.
Earlier, the Chairman of ASUP Auchi chapter, Mr Bamidele Osamudiamen
said the workshop became imperative to guide academic staff to successful research grants.
“This workshop is to teach academic staff on how to write quality research proposals that would get funding for their research.
“The workshop is to ensure academic staff have the nitty gritty to be able to write a formal research proposal that will be able to access funding for their research,” Osamudiamen said.
The ASUP chairman said the National Research Fund (NRF) is one of the best research grants an academic staff could get for their research work in the country.
He thanked President Bola Tinubu for creating the National Research Fund to enable researchers access grants for their research work.
“The workshop being organised by ASUP is to ensure our members write award winning proposals and research papers that will get propal funding for them.
” We know writing research papers are actually expensive and it requires some sort of subvention and grant.
“With the capacity building on the National Research Fund, they have been exposed to what we need to do right to write a quality research proposal that would get funding for our research,” he said.
Highpoint of the event was the presentation of the award of excellence to Dr. Salisu Umar, Rector of Auchi Polytechnic and Dr. Lizzy Johnson Suleman, wife of the General Oversea, Omega Fire Ministry International and academic staff who have excelled in their various fields.
