The University of Abuja’s Center for Undergraduate Research has awarded ten students a N3.7 million research grant.
Yesterday, at the Third Undergraduate Research Day with the subject “Promoting National Development Through Research,” the Center’s Director, Dr. Taibat Adebukola Atoyebi, announced the development.
The research, according to Dr. Atoyebi, encompassed topics including economic success, food security, access to a great education, good health, climate change, and environmental protection, as well as other creative solutions to social problems.
“The total sum of the grant for today is three million, seven hundred and seventy-two thousand nairas for 10 students.
“Ten research proposals scaled through and are being presented today. Some proposals were returned for corrections and upgrades, these researches are to be considered in the buildup for the next We are currently receiving applications and proposals from interested group of students for the next batch of grants.
“Three students who presented their research proposals during the 1″ Undergraduate Research Day are also presenting their final results/ research findings today. Highlights of the center’s achievements so far,” she said.
The vice chancellor of the university, Prof. Abdul-Rasheed Na’Allah, also spoke at the event and explained that the goal of the event was to attract young people.
Rasheed applauded the initiative and called it memorable while being represented at the event by Professor Abubakar Yusuf, Chairman of the University of Abuja Research Council.
He said:” The program is significant because research and development are critical to national development and what you are seeing today is the presentation from students who have their supervisors as mentors and the idea is to cultivate their interest in research and development because any university that does not have the component of research and development will not be highly rated.
“So what the vice chancellor has done is when he came in 2019 was to strengthen the research components of this university and he wants the university of Abuja to be research intensive and how to do that is to look at the senior level of research which involves professors and also the students.”
Professor Ukertor Gabriel Moti, the Dean of the School of Postgraduate Studies and the invited speaker, agreed that research can advance students’ knowledge and academic practice. He also noted that there are broader perspectives on research impact that go beyond academic development for the country.