Professor Abdul-Rasheed Na’Allah, Vice Chancellor of University of Abuja (UniAbuja), claims that the institution decided to establish a Nuclear Engineering programme to assist in resolving the country’s electrical crisis.
This was announced by Professor Na’Allah on Wednesday in Abuja at the University of Abuja’s Day at the current 18th Abuja International Trade Fair.
While urging other institutions to follow UniAbuja’s lead, the VC noted that the institution has been at the forefront of working with industry.
“We are currently launching new initiatives in collaboration with the University of Abuja and the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI).
“The (ACCI) president highlighted in his talk and gave example of Tourism and Hospitality, it is one of the curricula, you will find industry lecturers and academic lecturers if you come to that department. Actually, they have two department heads—one is referred to as the academic head, and the other as the industry head.
“If you visit our Geology and Mining department, it is the same; business and academia collaborate there.”
“But we’re not stopping there. We’re starting nuclear engineering very soon. We’re working with the Atomic Energy Commission of Nigeria. We know that Nigeria has a desire of having power that is available on a regular basis, so we’re starting nuclear engineering to fulfil that ambition.
Nuclear energy is not used because we wish to bomb and murder people; rather, it is used because it provides a safety net, or safety nuclear energy, in a way that gives us a new passion for life.
“We at the University of Abuja hope to revitalise Nigeria through the growth of the energy centre through our energy research centre and the numerous activities we have put in place.
We want the industry to support us in whatever we do. Every academic programme at the university is now required to have an industrial partner, according to a new guideline.
“We are here to let the world know that our university is prepared to collaborate with you through this international trade exhibition. We are inviting industry to come and work with our academic personnel. If you need a place to set up your laboratory or workshop, come to the University of Abuja.
Professor Na’Allah went on to say that the university and ACCI are preparing no less than 200 UniAbuja students for employment in Japanese companies around the world.
The university’s vice chancellor (VC), who expressed joy over some of its students’ significant Japanese language proficiency, predicted that the benefitted students would be well-prepared in a variety of fields, including information technology.
“We are currently working with the ACCI to prepare 200 University of Abuja students for information technology jobs in Japan and with Japanese companies worldwide. This is wonderful for the university, and this kind of teamwork is something we are really proud of, he said.
Professor Na’Allah also disclosed that UniAbuja has established an innovation centre, which he claimed is open to anyone with an idea as well as students.
The partnership between the organisation and UniAbuja has reportedly flourished ever since the Memorandum of Understanding was signed on June 18, 2021, according to Dr. Al-Mujtaba Abubakar, President of ACCI.
“Since the MoU was signed, our connection has become stronger as we work to strengthen it for excellent development, which has led to the creation of the Tourism and Hospitality department and other initiatives.
“I’d say that the connection has been friendly and advantageous for both parties. I ask for a constant closer cooperation between the Chamber as a business community and your academic institution as a method to accelerate national growth,” said Abubakar, who was represented by Osi Imomoh, ACCI Vice President, ICT, Science and Digital Economy.
Professor Stephen Garba, Chairman of the UniAbuja Committee on the 18th Abuja International Trade Fair, earlier stated that
The event’s theme, “University-Industry Linkages for Sustainable Financing and Taxation in Nigeria Economy,” emphasises the value of developing solid, mutually beneficial relationships between the academic and business sectors, particularly in light of the country’s current economic opportunities and challenges.
“It is becoming more and more clear that the interaction between academia and business is a vital component of wealth and economic success. We can realise the full potential of our country’s intellectual wealth and convert it into real economic advantages through such partnerships.
In his words, “As a university, we are devoted to contributing to the national development and worldwide relevance of Nigeria through our top-notch education, research, and community service.
According to PlatinumPost, the UniAbuja’s Day also featured a number of displays of university-produced goods.
