Vice chancellor of Covenant University, Professor Abiodun Adebayo, has said for Nigerian universities to become world-class and gain global ranking, it must invest in research development.
The vice chancellor stated that tertiary institution of learning in Nigeria require intensive and impactful research that will be deliberate and sustained to the extent of engendering development.
This, he said, should be imputed into the policy of each university alongside teaching and community service to its environs.
Adebayo stated this at a workshop held at the University of Benin, Edo State with the theme: “University Ranking: Experiences of Covenant University,” organised by the University of Benin’s Centre of Excellence in Reproductive Health Innovation (CERHI).
While making his presentation at the event, the vice chancellor said universities in Nigeria could not continue to do what they were used to and expect different results.
Covenant University, he said, had long resolved to be doing even what the world-class universities such as Harvard and Oxford, were not doing; hence its high rating amongst the world’s higher institutions.
“Most universities in Nigeria concentrate on teaching and perhaps, community service and have left out the area of research. Impactful research is almost non-existent in most of the universities,” Adebayo said.
To secure first ranking in Africa, the professor of bio- chemistry, stated that Covenant University had to set a vision of 10:2022, aiming to be among the best 10 in the world by 2022.
Adebayo said although the University of Benin was not doing badly, it would need to improve on its publications, particularly in Q1 and Q2 journals.
In his remark, the vice chancellor of the University of Benin, Professor Lilian Salami, said the lecture had brought out all the deficiencies as well as the things that the institution was doing right.
