Niger Delta University seeks for closer R&D partnership with NCDMB

The Niger Delta University (NDU), Bayelsa State has sought for closer collaboration with the, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) particularly in Research and Development.

The Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Samuel Edonmiekumo made the request when he visited the Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Engr. Simbi Wabote on Tuesday at the Board’s corporate headquarters in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.

The VC who enumerated the research interests of the university and expertise said it should form the basis of strong partnership between the two institutions. He also requested the Board to always consider and give priority to NDU in all its programmes, particularly in Research and Development.

He also commended the Board for the various capacity development interventions it had initiated in the university, including the donation of Econometric Centre, staff capacity building among other others.

Speaking further, the VC said that part of the reason for the visit was to remind the Board that since NDU was selected by the Board as one of the Centres of Excellence for Research, the partnership was yet to be activated.

In his response, the Executive Secretary of NCDMB thanked the academics for the visit and interest to deepen the relationship with the Board. He noted that the Centre of Excellence programme strategy is currently being fine-tuned by the Board, adding that it would commence in earnest as soon as the roadmap is clearly articulated.

Wabote recalled that the Board invited NDU to the Board’s R & D Colloquium which took place in the last quarter of 2017 and assured the NDU team that the Board will always give due preference to the university as requested.

Wabote also asked the NDU management to furnish the Board in writing with full information on all ongoing research work and innovation pioneered by the university, noting that this would enable the Research and Development Directorate to follow up in order to take some of the projects to deployment and commercialization. He also promised to visit the university to see the state of affairs for himself and determine possible areas of collaboration.