The Nigeria‘s Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria participated in a three-day face-to-face symposium on Research and Innovation Management (RIM) projects in Uganda, where the University synthesized and showcased its research results.
The symposium, jointly organized by the African Centre for Technology Studies (ACTS) and the Uganda National Commission for Science and Technology (UNCST), was held at the Speke Resort, Munyonyo, Kampala, Uganda, from December 9th to 11th, 2024.
The focus of the symposium was to synthesize and showcase research findings from RIM projects to facilitate peer learning and the exchange of best practices.
Team ABU, christened the ‘Research for Impact (R4i) Initiative,’ represented the University at the event, which served as a pivotal platform for high-level discussions on various science, technology, and innovation (STI) themes.
The team, led by Dr. Abdulsalam Ismaila Galadima of the Department of Physics, was selected to represent other Nigerian cohorts at the symposium due to its outstanding participation and record of impactful achievements in the ongoing Science Granting Councils Initiative (SGCI) project.
The symposium facilitated engagement with a global network of scholars, industry partners, government representatives, and international organizations.
It also sought to advance the SGCI’s mission of fostering a robust and dynamic STI landscape in Africa. Additionally, it aimed to bring together representatives from all participating science granting councils (SGCs) in sub-Saharan Africa, along with regional and international STI stakeholders, to support and contribute to this mission.
Dr. Galadima, speaking on behalf of Team ABU, explained that the symposium provided an avenue for selected funded projects to present their key findings and successes with a view to fostering collaboration, partnerships, and knowledge exchange.
“It also provided targeted training sessions for the SGCI-funded projects on best practices in open science and effective science communication strategies.
“Additionally, the symposium explored linkages between academia and industry toward the commercialization and scaling-up of innovative solutions and engaged policymakers and stakeholders in discussions on effective research and innovation ecosystems,” he said.
It is worth noting that the team, ‘Research for Impact (R4i) Initiative,’ won the 2023 Science Granting Councils Initiative (SGCI) research grant to develop its innovation, tagged ‘AirVolt.’ The team’s innovation is an SDG-tied solution aimed at developing affordable and reliable electricity access for rural healthcare facilities in Northern Nigeria.
