Varsity, AIB sign pact on metallurgical laboratory
The University of Lagos and the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the usage of the bureau’s $5.8 million metallurgical laboratory at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
The agreement was signed by both parties at the University of Lagos Senate Building.
The Commissioner of AIB, Akin Olateru, an aircraft engineer, at the signing ceremony that was witnessed by the Vice-Chancellor of the University, Professor Oluwatoyin Ogundipe and his management team said that the partnership would be beneficial to the agency and the university.
He said it was worrisome that both private and public business organizations expend little or no resource to funding of researches and projects in the country.
The commissioner said with adequate research, the country would benefit more.
He explained that the vision of the management was to make the laboratory a world class facility where giant construction companies and countries like South Africa, United Kingdom and other European nations could come to conduct research.
The AIB boss said the collaboration with the university would lead to the recognition of Nigeria as a serious nation in research in the international community.
He maintained that usage of the facility would lead to human capital development in the country, while the laboratory would also give students more opportunity to practise whatever they had been taught in the classrooms.
Aside that, he stated that it would help curb capital flight, stressing that some of the students who go to US, UK, China usually rush back without completing the courses because of many factors.
“if we have this type of equipment here, we will save capital flight. The man doing the research will spend more time at home. He can take more time. If you send him to UK to go and do the research, he is worried about estacode, he will probably rush what is supposed to do in three months in one month and rush back and that will impact on productivity and quality of research, in terms of enhancing and growing the manufacturing sector”.
“This is the foundation. This is the basis of what we are doing today and we believe that our new partnership we will achieve our objective”.
Olateru said, “This is a very important occasion for us and I believe University of Ilorin too should be proud of this occasion”.
Ogundipe said he was excited concerning the pact between her and AIB, saying what happened was part of the vision he has for the institution.
“When you talk about research, you can fully apply research when you have an industry that you can interact with. This is what is happening today with AIB’s collaboration with the University of Lagos. It is a win-win situation like you said”.
“What we are going to benefit from with this agreement is that our student will have a good laboratory and our students will be exposed to the latest development in this particular area and also in future”.
