The University of Ibadan (UI) is set to commercialise its many innovations, research products, outcomes, and knowledge for national development.
The institution’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor Administration, Professor Peter O. Olapegba, stated this on behalf of the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Kayode O. Adebowale, while receiving a team from Innovate UK Business Connect during a courtesy visit.
The Deputy Vice-Chancellor Administration appreciated the visiting team’s coming to UI and stated that, given its antecedents, the University of Ibadan was the right choice for collaboration in academic research and innovation in Nigeria.
Professor Olapegba said the University of Ibadan has set up a committee to commercialise the patents and intellectual properties of experts and researchers from the university’s many departments and faculties.
He said the Committee will encourage partnerships with businesses and funders of research for innovations, ideas, and research outcomes.
He disclosed that the University of Ibadan, in the past 76 years, has established the nexus to use the generated knowledge for the benefit of the communities in Nigeria and globally through the comprehensive spectrum and commitment of its research leaders, professional experts, and scholars.
According to the DVC, one of the challenges facing the University of Ibadan is funding. Despite this, UI has been able to cultivate a culture of excellence in teaching and research.
Professor Olapegba stated that the University of Ibadan is willing to partner with Innovate UK Business Connect to commercialise its research products and collaborate to promote more strategic qualitative research.
The leader of the visiting team, Dr Joanna Scales, accompanied by Dr Pedro Carvalho, said Innovate UK is an organisation funded by the UK government to support research and innovation in the United Kingdom and internationally.
She listed the functions of Innovate UK as providing direct support to universities, developing business ideas, and commercialising academic findings into products and services.
According to Dr Scales, Innovate UK is in the process of developing a programme called “The Climate-Smart Agricultural Partnership” that would involve collaboration between the UK, Brazil, Ghana, and Nigeria to promote smart agricultural practices in Africa.
Dr Scales said the programme will focus on climate-smart agricultural technologies with a project validity of 40 million pounds to improve food production in Ghana and Nigeria through collaboration between the UK, Brazil, Nigeria, and Ghana.
She stated that Innovate UK seeks to build networks and promote opportunities in the cocoa value chain, oil palm, cassava, pests and disease management, soil fertility, agroforestry, goat production, identify challenges and opportunities, expertise, and technologies, and encourage knowledge sharing between the four countries.
Dr. Scales said the partnership will attract two funding competitions/applications among partners in the four countries: staff exchange, travel support, funding for collaborative projects between universities and companies, and commercialisation of innovations.
