Unizik's Royal Academy of Engineering Project Enters Second Phase with Training for 50 Students
The Unizik Business School at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, has launched the second phase of its £100,000 Grant project funded by the Royal Academy of Engineering, United Kingdom.
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The Unizik Business School at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, has launched the second phase of its £100,000 Grant project funded by the Royal Academy of Engineering, United Kingdom. This initiative focuses on electrical engineering research and seeks to empower Nigerian graduate engineers in the electricity sector. The grant was awarded through the Higher Education Partnerships in sub-Saharan Africa (HEP SSA) 22/24 Programme.
The training sessions for this phase involved 50 selected students hailing from five different higher education institutions in Southeast Nigeria. These sessions were conducted at the Unizik Business School, with the first phase of the project having taken place on December 2, 2022. Mrs. Kirsty Chishti, the Programme Officer for Africa Programmes at the Royal Academy of Engineering, addressed the participants via Zoom and elucidated the core objectives of the project. She emphasized the need to address engineering capacity gaps in sub-Saharan Africa, which include a scarcity of skilled engineers, brain drain to other countries, weak engineering institutions, low investment levels, and varying national standards. Chishti also underscored the crucial role engineers play in combating climate change and promoting sustainable use of natural resources.
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Prof. Chinedu Onyeizugbe, the Team Lead and Deputy Director of the Unizik Business School, addressed the participants, underscoring the significance of the training. He urged the students to conduct themselves professionally throughout the six-day program. Prof. Onyeizugbe expressed gratitude to the Royal Academy of Engineering in the United Kingdom and other project partners, including Nottingham Trent University, V-lab Limited, Nigerian Higher Education, and industry and professional collaborators.
Prof. Onyeizugbe highlighted the issue of unreliable public power supply in Nigeria and its adverse effects on businesses and society. He elaborated on how the project aims to tackle this challenge by enhancing engineering capacity in sub-Saharan Africa, improving the knowledge and skills of African engineering graduates, fostering research and innovation, and building stronger connections with the industry for a more significant impact.
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Nnamdi Azikiwe University is one of just six universities in Africa to receive this grant. Prof. Chinedu Onyeizugbe leads the project in collaboration with Engr. Ugochukwu Ifediora, CEO/MD of Fedironics Group. The second phase of the project is expected to involve esteemed experts like Prof. Amin Al-Habaibeh, Director of the Product Innovation Center (PIC) and Head of the iSBET Research Group at Nottingham Trent University, and Engr. Proveen Chorghad, MD-CEO of the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC).
The Unizik Business School's commitment to this project showcases the dedication to bridge engineering capacity gaps, empower young engineers, and create lasting impacts in the electricity sector. It reflects the university's aspiration to be a hub of innovation and academic excellence, making strides toward a brighter future for Nigeria's energy sector and engineering profession.
