Ogunsola advocates collaborative efforts, research for devt

By: Faith Enang

The University of Lagos Vice-Chancellor,, Prof. Folasade Ogunsola says achieving local and global development goals is only possible with collaborative efforts of academia, industry and government.

She said this on Tuesday, at the opening of a Circular Economy Round Table meeting in Lagos.

The theme of the meeting was ‘Circular Economy Business Models for Sustainable Environment and Global Competitiveness’.

The round table is a collaboration between the University of Lagos and the University of Eastern Finland (UEF) on an initiative tagged Finland-Lagos Recycling Culture Research and Development Project (F-LRCRDP).

According to the vice chancellor, some of the key challenges facing many nations could only be tackled through joint efforts, with universities playing the key role through research.

She said tackling national challenges such as environmental pollution remained one area that called for global concern, hence the need for all stakeholders to join in the fight and proffer solutions for the way forward.

Ogunsola who was represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academic and Research Prof. Bola Oboh, said that universities are saddled with the responsibility of engaging in research and development to find sustainable solutions to societal needs and enhance national development.

“In 2022, we began interfacing with the University of Eastern Finland to drive collaborative research and we successfully signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to officially solidify our partnership.

“This MoU affords us the opportunity to conduct collaborative research where parties shall jointly seek opportunities to conduct scientific research, development, innovation and enterprise in the selected activity sectors of the economy as showcased today in the circular economy round table.

“Furthermore, the MoU affords shared consultancies and collaborative staff development programmes, staff mobility and exchange programmes where parties shall share experiences and best practices on enhancing the quality of teaching and learning.

“It will also afford shared learning environment, jointly conduct colloquiums, lectures, seminars and international industrial research fairs.

“It is against this backdrop that we are hosting the Circular Economy Roundtable, as part of the Foundation for Finland-Lagos Recycling Culture Research and Development Project (F- LRCRDP).

“We convene today to deliberate on the circular economy, recycle culture and waste management in Lagos and Finland. We have invited government policy makers, industry players across the value chain and the academia to forge a path to sustainable waste management in Lagos and Finland,“ she said.