FUNAI Don Calls for Enhanced Research Capacity
As part of its seminar series, the Faculty of Basic Medical sciences, Federal University Ndufu-Alike Ikwo(FUNAI) Ebonyi State recently held a seminar to agitate the minds of its academics towards improving their research capacity.
Declaring the seminar open, the Acting Dean of the Faculty, Dr. Ogugua Egwu in his speech called on members of the academia in the faculty to improve their research capacity by presenting more lectures on topical issues that affect humanity, stressing that every academic has the capacity to impact his environment positively if well-grounded in his area of study.
Ag. Dean, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, Dr. Ogugua Egwu speaking in the event
In his own words: ‘’we are individually talented, advertise what you have and what you are doing.’’
He encouraged them to be proud of their intellectual works, advising them to expand the seminar participation by inviting even the press to cover such events. The Director of Centre for Entrepreneurship and Employability further stressed the importance of cordial staff/students relationship in the making of a vibrant academic.
Admonishing the students to take advantage of their youth, the Deputy Provost, College of Medicine of the University Dr. Emeka Ezeonu challenged the students to read more and widely, enthusing them to obtain their doctoral and professional certificates at a young age.
Dr. Emeka Ezeonu admonishing the students at the event
Presenting a paper on “Improving and Maintaining the Position of the Eagles in the Webometric Ranking: A Collective Role of Staff And Students”, Mr. Gabriel Akunna of the Department of Anatomy, said that Webometric ranking of World Universities and Research centers was an initiative of the Cybermetrics Laboratory, a research group belonging to the Consejo de Investigaciones Cientifas (CSIC), the largest research body in Spain that covers 17,000 Higher Education Institutions worldwide.
He noted that Universities were graded by their impacts, presence, openness and excellence, advising the relevant authorities to increase the contents on the University website to enhance the ranking of the University. He also added that current and relevant information about the University, its staff and students activities should always be published on the website.
Akunna Gabriel speaking during the seminar
He further maintained that publication in reputable journals that were not necessarily indexed would also enhance the ranking of the University, and encouraged fellow academics to take their works seriously.
Akunna also emphasized the need for students to form registered associations on campus, stating that such activities would improve FUNAI web ranking.
Speaking on “Personal Professional Development”, Igwenyi Ikechukwu Okorie of the Department of Medical Biochemistry identified the three major impediments to professional growth and development which include band wagon effect, get- rich-quick syndrome and societal value system.
Igwenyi Ikechukwu Okorie presenting his paper at the event
He noted that personal effectiveness, continuing professional development and vision /mission statement should be properly guided, adding that to achieve these objectives clear understanding of one’s areas strength and weakness was paramount.
Igwenyi further explained that identifying one’s areas of professional development, personal goals setting and individual’s vision and mission statements help for informed mentoring and supervision.
He lamented that inability to discover one’s self and one’s needs, lack of knowledge of career prospects, distraction and societal values, association and peer influence and the likes were some of the problems militating against personal development. And therefore, charged all to undergo personal professional development programs by analyzing the Situation on ground, knowing the Task ahead and matching it with Action in other to achieve the desired Result.
Cross section of participants at the seminar