REDEEMER’S UNIVERSITY, [RUN] …..a University daring to be positively DIFFERENT Km 46 Lagos Ibadan Expressway, Redempti

1. REDEEMER’S UNIVERSITY, [RUN] …..a University daring to be positively DIFFERENT Km 46 Lagos Ibadan Expressway, Redemption City, OGUN STATE WELCOME TO 3rdRUN CONVOCATION LECTURE

2. THE NIGERIAN UNIVERSITY SYSTEM AND THE CHALLENGE OF BUILDING A WORLD-CLASS INSTITUTION 2011 Redeemers University of Nigeria Convocation Lecture By O. A. Bamiro Faculty of Technology University of Ibadan oabamiro@yahoo.com 5th October 2011

3. There is no doubt that the education sector is facing enormous challenges. The effective resolution of these challenges is a pre-condition for our nation's development. As you are aware, the present Administration is committed to the realization of the 7-Point Agenda and our national vision of becoming one of the top 20 economies in the world by 2020. In order to succeed, the nation needs world class manpower, possible only through world class institutions. This calls for strategic investment towards improving the teaching and learning environment as well as the quality of lecturers in our institutions. Sam Egwu Former HME, 2009

4. Although it is globally acknowledged that Nigeria is a nation of great potentials, our institutions that were once highly rated in the world and a source of national pride have lost such pre-eminence. Today, in the aggregate web ranking of world universities, no Nigerian University ranks among the top 50 in Africa and no Nigerian laboratory ranks among the top 1,000 in the world. Our ability to produce world-class manpower and conduct serious research for national development is, therefore, adversely affected. This situation is unacceptable and must be reversed. Sam Egwu Former HME, 2009

5. In order to harness our great potentials, our institutions must be systematically upgraded, especially at the tertiary level. Consequently, the Federal Government decided to select one University and one Polytechnic or College of Education from each geo-political zone of the country as focal institutions for special intervention. Sam Egwu Former HME, 2009

6. ObafemiAwolowo University, a beneficiary of the ETF Special Intervention of N3.0 billion, held a retreat for members of the Governing Council and the University administration, including the then incoming Vice-Chancellor under the theme - “Policy frameworks for Transforming OAU to a world-class university”.

7. The Challenge of Relevance • Suppose, through an accident of recent history, that the proprietors of our public and private universities are to open up to the Nigerian university system with an unprecedented level of funding that is almost akin to an open cheque – is the university system ready to face the challenge and make the difference in terms of moving the nation to the next level of socio-economic development?

8. Consequently: • This paper is devoted to articulating the challenges the nation faces in respect of industrial development and also those arising from meeting the various declared development initiatives. This is then followed by exploring the possible path the university system can take to guarantee its relevance by helping the nation overcome the identified challenges, through transformation into a system that can boast of a few world-class institutions.

9. THE STRUCTURE OF THE PRESENTATION • The issue of Global Competitiveness and Industrial Development • African development Initiatives • The Real Partnerships – Triple Helix • Overview of the Higher Education Sector in Nigeria • The challenge of transforming into a world- class university • Concluding remarks

10. What is the Role of Industry? Industry provides services to members of a society by making consumer and capital goods, creating new products and processes, generating new companies and opportunities, and providing, in the process, unlimited new jobs for the population.

11. Nature of Global Competition Competition for the control of markets and resources between global corporations and financial markets on the one hand and locally owned businesses serving local markets on the other .

12. Some of the Consequences • Unregulated global economy • Concentration of power and wealth in the hands of fewer companies and people • Loss of jobs • Brain Drain

13. J. Salmi

14. J. Salmi

15. Some Indicators • World Billionaires 274 (1991) 477 (1997) with income = combined annual incomes of the poorest half of humanity (2.8 billion people) • Out of 100 biggest economies, 51 are not countries but TNCs • 500 largest corporations shed 4.4 million jobs between 1980 and 1993 • Continuing worldwide corporate mergers

16. The Challenge Reclaiming and building our local economies by working to create and sustain locally owned enterprises that sustainably harvest and process local resources to produce jobs and the goods and services that we need to live healthy, happy, and fulfilling lives in balance with the environment.

17. The Imperative The imperative of the above is the need for us to seek to understand, and hopefully steer, the forces that drive globalisation and global competition. 

18. The Basic Tools Knowledge Information Innovation

19. The Imperative of Knowledge Global or local competition will continue to place an ever greater premium on harnessing the energy of Science, Technology and Engineering (SET) to the engine of economic progress. Knowledge is now a leading factor of production around the world, and the ability to create, master, and mobilize knowledge will likely distinguish economies

20. The Imperative of Information Information will permit a degree of access to knowledge, to technology, and to methods of production and management that allows the rapid diffusion of industrial capacity

21. Major Challenge facing Industry Development of Science, Engineering, Technology and Innovation (SETI) Capability to face the challenges posed by the on-going globalisation of the world economy.

22. SETI CAPACITY BUILDING FOR WHAT? To meet the challenges of globalisation and achieve meaningful development, SETI capacity is sought in terms of: • Firm- or Enterprise-Level Technological Capabilities (FLTCs); and • National-Level Technological Capabilities (NLTCs).

23. WHY FLTCs?While learning occurs in a variety of institutions, enterprises – public or private - are the most critical locus at which learning of economic significance takes place. In other words, technological capabilities of economic importance accumulate at the enterprise level. Enterprises, particularly those involved in manufacturing, show great promise as centres of upgrading technology and organizational practices for developing countriesDato’ Ir and Russel .

24. WHY FLTCs?“Industry has long been the main source, user and diffuser of technical progress and associated skills and attitudes…In this world the manufacturing industry is not just an ingredient of development - it is the essential ingredient” UNIDO

25. Elements of Firm-Level Technological Capabilities CAPABILITY BASIC COMPONENTS Production Management PRODUCTION Production Engineering Repairs & Maintenance Project Identification Project Preparation INVESTMENT Design Setting up & Commissioning Plant Expansion Product Adaptation MINOR CHANGE Process Adaptation Market Intelligence STRATEGIC MARKETING Distribution channels Customer Services Intra-firm LINKAGE Inter-firm Domestic Science, Engineering & Tech Fundamental Research MAJOR CHANGE Creation of new technology

26. ELEMENTS OF NATIONAL LEVEL TECHNOLOGICAL CAPABILITY (NLTC) • The capital goods manufacturing capability. • The educational and training infrastructure. • The techno-managerial consultancy service capability. • The R & D capability. • The financial infrastructure. • The S & T information infrastructure. • ICT Infrastructure

27. The Real Partnership

28. Triple Helix Partnership for what?

29. CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK FOR SETI CAPACITY BUILDUP

30. What is Innovation? The process by which firms master and implement the design and production of goods and services that are new to them, irrespective of whether or not they are new to their competitors - domestic or foreign". Operational “The introduction into a market (economic or social) of new or improved products, processes or services”.

31. What is Innovation? (Contd.) • The products, processes or services in the above definition may either be physical or intellectual. • As noted by Mullin: “Innovations occur in all aspects of the life of a society, and not only in the economic market place where the term is most often used. The Theory of Relativity became an innovation in the market for ideas in theoretical physics when it was widely adopted and its author, Einstein, was rewarded in the currency of that market place with prestige and respect.”

32. Illustrative Case “With my production cost atN190 to N200 per kg of flesh, there is no way I can compete with import coming in at N140 per kg and being sold at N200 per kg, which is basically my production cost! I do not believe in government banning import to protect local producers. I will rather compete and I believe I will be better off competing.” James 2002

33. Technological Innovation “In tropical countries like Brazil, Malaysia, etc., I have discovered that they produce chickens competitively because they have adopted the more efficient Tunnel Ventilation System (TVS) which automatically controls the temperature and humidity of the pen house. There is no way I can achieve control of the environment in my pen houses under the present production system, which relies on natural ventilation. I have no alternative but to acquire technology similar to that used by the global players if I am to compete globally.

34. Techno-Economic Impact of the Innovation

35. Key Lessons • Innovation can take place outside the R & D system • Innovation is not necessarily big science as it can utilize the technological knowledge already in the public domain. • It can however become a sustainable instrument of competition if it is backed up by R & D institution for incremental innovation. • Government can scan an industrial sector, identify technological needs, challenge an R & D institution to undertake necessary R & D for diffusion of solutions to the end users. This must be a deliberate policy as in the South African case.

36. The Tripod at Play • The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in UK (GOVERNMENT) recently commissioned the Silsoe Research Institute of UK (UNIVERSITY) to conduct a three-year research project to develop a system which will enable broiler producers (INDUSTRY) to breed birds that meet the exacting requirements of their customers.

37. Economic Growth Imperatives in South Africa • Skills Development in Areas of National Priority • Mineral Beneficiation – From a Resource driven to a Knowledge driven economy • Enhanced Manufacture and Export of Finished Products from key industries: Automotives, Chemicals, Plastics, Metal products etc.

38. TECHNOLOGY STATIONS • Agri-food ProcessingatCape Peninsula University of Technology (Cape Town) • Chemicals at Tshwane University of Technology (Ga-Rankuwa) • Composite Materials at Vaal University of Technology (Vanderbylpark) • Downstream Chemicalsat NMMU (Port Elizabeth) • Chemicals at Mangosuthu Technikon in Umlazi (Durban) • Clothing and Textile Technology at CPUT (Bellville)

39. Automotive Components at NMMU (Port Elizabeth) • Metals & Manufacturing at Central University of Technology (Bloemfontein) • Moulded and Reinforced Plastics at Durban Institute of Technology (Durban) • Metal Casting and Foundry Technologies at University of Johannesburg • Electronics at Tshwane University of Technology (Tshwane) • Agri-food Processing at University of Limpopo (Polokwane)

40. *Annualised for FY 2006/7. **Projects and Services and Technical Consultancy.

41. Globalisation and the LNG Project • Timber: Not much could be sourced locally due to lack of capacity for effective drying to the required moisture content. • Paints: Limited local supply due to inability to meet standards. The claim was that the few paints purchased and used on some structures could not withstand the environmental impact. • Cables: Several kilometers of cables were used. According to the consultants the local supply could not meet requirements both in quality and quantity. • Cement: Local cement was used for the non-critical constructions (housing estate) while imported cement had to be used in the plant to handle machine and plant foundations.

42. Where is Nigeria in the African industrial landscape? • According to the 2009 Africa Competitiveness Report, 23 African countries out of the 31 that were surveyed remain at the most basic stage of the competitiveness index of a factor-driven economy (that is, one whose ability to compete is based on unskilled labour and natural resources). Only five countries – Algeria, Mauritius, Namibia, South Africa and Tunisia - have reached the second stage of competitiveness – the efficiency driven stage (which is driven by efficient goods, sophisticated labour and financial markets, a large market size and the ability to utilize technology effectively). No African country has reached the innovation-driven stage, that is, a stage based on an ability to compete with new and unique products, and the use of sophisticated production driven competition.”

44. INITIATIVES FOR AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT • The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). • World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD). • Commission for Africa – Blair Report. • New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD).

45. THE MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS ‘A world with less poverty, hunger and disease, greater survival prospects for mothers and their infants, better educated children, equal opportunities for women, and a healthier environment’ Eight (8) goals, eighteen (18) targets, and forty-eight (48) indicators have been accepted as a framework for measuring development progress.

46. THE MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS “We will have time to reach the Millennium Development Goals… only if we break with business as usual. We cannot win overnight.It takes time to train the teachers, nurses and engineers; to build the roads, schools and hospitals; to grow the small and large businesses able to create the jobs and income needed… we must more than double global development assistance over the next few years… Secretary-General, Kofi Annan

47. Journey So far As reported by Otive Igbuzor (2006) there are three key problems with the reporting system of our progress in the implementation of the MDGs: • the challenge of accurate, reliable, credible and believable statistics; • reports that are development-assistance focused; and • reports not indicating the policies and practices that need to change to attain the goals.

48. THE WORLD SUMMIT ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT (WSSD) “Science and technology must be placed at the heart of policies to promote sustainable development. Indeed many of the means of implementation of the JPOI are measures in, or related to, science and technology policies.” Desai, the Secretary General of WSSD

49. THE COMMISSION FOR AFRICA: THE BLAIR REPORT …Scientifically and technically proficient professionals are needed to identify opportunities arising from innovation and scientific discoveries and to develop effective policy in areas such as science, trade and resource management…

50. THE COMMISSION FOR AFRICA: THE BLAIR REPORT Identified problem Areas • Shortage of requisite skills set in the public and private sectors • Loss of skills through ‘brain drain’ • Weak Higher Education Sector • Weak Scientific Research Capability • Poor collaboration among key stakeholders