Beatrice Gondyi Bauchi Sa’adu
Zungur University (SAZU) has reaffirmed its strong commitment to advancing research, innovation, staff development, and strategic industry partnerships as part of its broader vision to strengthen academic excellence and foster sustainable societal progress.
This commitment was underscored during a three-day step-down training workshop on Research Administration, Industry Collaboration, and Commercialization, organized by the Centre of Excellence for Research and Innovation (CERI) at the University’s Main Campus in Gadau.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Vice Chancellor, Professor Fatimah Tahir, stressed the critical role of continuous professional development for academic staff, particularly in research, as a catalyst for institutional productivity, innovation, and national development.
Represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic), Professor Bala Ma’aji Abdulhamid, the Vice Chancellor noted that the initiative aligns with the Federal Government’s policy objective of transforming research outputs into practical solutions that address industrial and societal needs rather than allowing valuable findings to remain confined to laboratories.
Professor Tahir emphasized that the University remains dedicated to empowering its workforce with the necessary expertise, skills, and exposure required to drive institutional growth while contributing meaningfully to community and national transformation.
She also recalled that the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) had previously sponsored several SAZU staff members for advanced research and development training programmes, explaining that the current workshop was designed to cascade the knowledge and experiences gained by those beneficiaries to a wider academic audience within the University.
In his address, the Director of CERI, Dr. Usman Waziri, revealed that the Vice Chancellor personally directed the organization of the workshop to maximize the impact of earlier TETFund-sponsored trainings and broaden participation among staff.According to him, over 64 academic staff members from various faculties and departments participated in the programme, alongside attendees from other tertiary institutions across Bauchi State, including Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Aminu Saleh College of Education, and the Federal University of Health Sciences.
Dr. Waziri explained that the University fully funded the workshop as part of deliberate efforts to strengthen research capacity, improve institutional competitiveness, and promote stronger academia-industry-community linkages.
The training featured expert-led sessions on diverse topics such as University-Community Partnerships, Research Commercialization, Innovation Acceleration, Change Management, Emotional Intelligence, Triple Helix Collaboration Models, and Building Sustainable Research Partnerships.
Interactive sessions and group presentations were also incorporated into the programme to assess participants’ understanding and practical application of the concepts presented.
Stakeholders at the event highlighted that research-driven development remains essential for solving societal challenges, stimulating economic growth, and enhancing the development trajectory of Bauchi State and Nigeria as a whole.
The workshop reflects Sa’adu Zungur University’s sustained commitment to promoting excellence in teaching, research, innovation, and institutional development while positioning itself as a leading center for transformative academic and societal impact.
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