The Nigerian Society of Engineering (NSE) has reiterated the need to bridge the gap between academia, research, and industry through industry-driven academia curricula to enhance sustainable development in Nigeria.
The NSE Chairman, Ibadan branch, Engr. Ayokunnu Ojedele, stated this on Saturday during his inauguration alongside the branch’s new exco members in Ibadan.
The theme of the event was “Innovation Engineering Practice: Bridge Connecting the Triad of Academia, Research, and Industry for Driving Sustainable Development”.
Ojedele said that professional bodies, particularly engineering societies, need to interface more with different arms of government in order to be part of policy formulation and quality project delivery.
He expressed the readiness of his administration to strengthen collaboration with government, industry, institutions, and other bodies to provide professional advisory support, influence policy, promote innovation, and drive sustainable infrastructure development.
“Research requires the mastery of theory provided by academia to generate the ‘evidence-based’ innovation required by industry. Without evidence-based research, industry cannot innovate, and without industry, research has no commercial outlet,” he said.
Ojedele promised that his administration would focus on STEM outreach, high-impact professional training, community development, improved members’ welfare, establishment of a young engineers’ forum, and revival of the premier journal of engineering, among others.
The Vice-Chancellor of the Joseph Ayo Babalola University, Prof. Olasebikan Fakolujo, who was the guest speaker at the event, while speaking on the theme of the programme, emphasised the need for joint effort between industry and academia towards curriculum design that would define employability skills.
He noted that for Nigeria and Sub-Saharan Africa to transition from “consuming nations” to “producing nations,” the engineering profession must move beyond traditional methods to Innovative Engineering Practice (IEP), the application of scientific principles and manufacturing processes.
According to him, there must be a national policy that would guarantee continuous research funding and grants from public and private sectors.
“We must encourage knowledge transfer through internships, fellowships, and residency programmes for graduates within industries. In addition, there must be the creation of innovation hubs and dedicated centres for prototyping, startups, and SME talent development,” he said.
Earlier, the NSE President, Engr. Ali Rabiu, in his remarks, said that the growing levels of poverty, infrastructure decay, and social inequality in Nigeria demand engineers’ practical and visible intervention.
Represented by NSE national exco member, Engr. Ayotunde Ogunnoiki, he said that engineers must be at the forefront of solving problems, noting that community engineering is not optional, but a responsibility.
“I charge NSE Ibadan branch to initiate and execute impactful projects that address water supply, energy assets, transportation, and all other basic needs within its catchment areas. Let the people feel the presence of engineers not only in policy rules, but in their daily lives,” he said.
Speaking on behalf of other NSE award recipients at the event, Engr. Oladele Fadele said that the award was a renewed call to more responsibilities to ensure relevance, visibility, and impact in the social and economic development of Nigeria.