The Directorate of Research and Development was carved out of the Directorate of Academic Planning in December 2020. The unbundling of the Academic Planning Directorate was necessitated by the exigencies of Centres of Excellence as geared towards helping Universities fulfill their mandate of adding value to the socio-cultural, socio-economic, socio-political, and general wellbeing of those who reside in an organisation’s immediate and extended environments. More so, the unbundling of the Directorate of Academic Planning was to constantly raise consciousness on the need to stretch research beyond the frame of mere promotion/appraisals.

With research as a way of life, the University dream comes alive. The history of the Directorate of Research and Development allows for a peep into the high priority status the University Management ascribes to Research. This bold move saw Prof. Victor Akujuru as the pioneer Director of the Directorate. He was succeeded by Prof. Godwin B. Okon on the 8^th of August 2023. Both of them in perfect synergy have positioned the Directorate for optimal growth and impact in the light of contemporary research exigencies

The Directorate of Research and Development (R&D) by its nomenclature oversees the research output of the University by way of laying the framework for productive research engagements with a view to animating the triple Helix and Quadruple Helix models. The dynamic nature of research entails active and sustained engagements and these all fall within the purview of the R&D role prescription. For ease in comprehensibility, a breakdown of these functionalization using a descriptive approach is here made below:

1. Research Policy conceptualization and formulation

Research becomes a spurious activity in the absence of a policy framework. In this light the R&D Directorate, working through its statutory Committees, formulates policies on research so as to mainstream consciousness on guided research while laying the tracks for ethical parameters.

The policy framework also outlines the pathways for ethical approvals and collaborations.

1. Enhanced Funding and Grantsmanship

The Directorate also is positioned to increase the revenue base of the University by way of research commercialization. This is by way of urgently bringing to fore the core mandate of Universities. Borrowing a leaf from best practices, research is a pivotal source of funding for Universities. The Directorate is leveraging on this vision by way of its operational matrix.

A second tilt is on grantsmanship. The Directorate of Research and Development has been on the driver’s seat of this machinery by way of maintaining a harmonious interface with funding agencies both within and outside the shores of Nigeria. Ongoing collaborations with TETFUND, NDDC, NCDMB; etc abound.

iii.        Enhanced Visibility and University Ranking through Research

By mainstreaming consciousness on research beyond promotion, the Directorate serves to build a framework through which individual and collaborative output properly channeled will attract global visibility and by so doing enhance the ranking of the University. The Directorate lays the track for research output within a given timeline with a cascading effect on the University community through Faculties and Departments.

1. Capacity Building on Contemporary Research Dynamics and Mechanics

The Directorate periodically facilitates capacity building through workshops, webinars, and colloquiums on contemporary practices in research, end note management, research fairs, etc. Through these programmes, awareness is created, interest generated, and determination instilled. By so doing, potentials are optimized with self-actualization taking second index.

1. Oversight on Research Centres, Units, and Groups

The Directorate also exercises oversight on research centres and other allied research units and groups especially in the Faculties. The Directorate follows a two-step approach by gravitating efforts towards areas of research interests while galvanizing quality assurance embellishments.

1. Overall Collaboration with Cognate Directorates and Units

Since ours is an organic entity, the Directorate of R & D cannot be a stand alone. To this end, the Directorate works in collaboration with the Patent Unit, Advancement and Linkages, as well as the Postgraduate School to channel research output through harmonized forms for enhanced benefits and visibility.

vii.       General Co-ordination

The Directorate directly and remotely co-ordinates research propulsions in the University by way of processing submissions for TETFund interventions as well as those for NDDC, NCDMB, and lots more. As an icing, the Directorate also oversees the issuance of ethical approvals and numbers.

The organizational structure of the Directorate is two tailed – Administrative and operational. For the former (Administrative) the outline is as stated below:

Administrative Structure

1. Director – The Director is the administrative head of the Directorate who sees to the day to day running of the Directorate by way of answering to the office of the Vice Chancellor while collaborating with Deans of Faculties and Directors of Units.
2. Deputy Registrar – The Deputy Registrar is an administrative staff who supervises the general administration of the Directorate. He/she technically serves as Secretary to the Directorate.
3. Legal Officer – Based on collaborations and research funding agreements, there is need to pore over memoranda (MOUs) and allied documents so as not to obligate the University. This is where the legal office comes in.
4. Administrative Officers – These are the field men of the Directorate who facilitate documentations and correspondences.
5. Messenger – This eases physical exertions in the workplace.
6. Cleaner – Maintains the general hygiene/cleanliness of the Directorate.

Operational Structure

The Directorate by way of technicalities operates the committee system. To this end, the Directorate has three cognate committees that oil its machinery:

1. The Senate Research Ethics Committee: This is a seven member Committee appointed by Senate and Chaired by the R&D Director with a statutory Secretary. The Committee is saddled with policy conceptualization and formulation with respect to research output.
2. Committee on Research and Development: This Committee is made up of representatives from the various Faculties. They serve as the conveyor belt by generating input from the Faculties and cascading decisions to the Faculties. They aid in the implementation of policies from the Directorate with the Directorate’s Deputy Registrar serving as the Secretary.
3. Information Communication Technology Unit: This unit is headed by a staff of ICTC who sees to the operational hardware and software inclinations of the Directorate.

The Directorate within the review timeline has made astounding achievements. Notable achievements include but not limited to the following:

1. Production and hoisting of a comprehensive policy on research ethics on the University website.
2. Laying the framework for the establishment of R & D Units in all the Faculties.

• Maintaining a productive synergy with endogenous funding agencies – TETFund, NDDC, NCDMB, etc.

1. Mainstreaming consciousness on the contextualisation of research beyond promotion/appraisal
2. Enhanced collaboration with allied Directorates and Units
3. Enhanced access to TETFund interventions like National Research Fund (NRF), Institution Based Research (IBR), Academic Conference Attendance (CA), Academic Manuscript to Books (AMB), and lots more. Within the period under review, the University’s access to interventions has for the first time depleted statutory TETFund votes on these interventions to ground zero.

• Glamourization of research among teaching staff and Doctoral Students – Faculties are beginning to go into MOUs with industries by way of knowledge/research commercialization. This is a consciousness that has stretched the conspectus of research among teaching staff.

The above achievements, though a few out of many, point to the fact that with the traction so garnered in the present scheme, prospects abound for greater heights of accomplishments.