The Enugu State University of Science and Technology, ESUT, and National Space Research and Development Agency, NASRDA, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to collaborate on research, staff and students exchange programmes.

This collaboration which is hinged on the need to use homegrown solutions to guarantee sustainable development in our country, would deepen indigenous capacity in addressing myriads of issues hampering conducive living standards of Nigerians.

While addressing ESUT Management led by the Vice Chancellor, Professor Aloysius-Michaels Okolie at Agbani, Enugu State on Wednesday, the Director General of NASRDA, Dr. Mathew Adepoju, stated that the MoU would take care of funding cutting edge research for ESUT staff and students.

The Director General equally stated that the Agency would build Advance Cosmic Ray Laboratory in the University which would be equipped with data software and instruments to aid research and innovation amongst staff and students of the institution.

He further stated that the MoU would strengthen academia and industry collaboration in order to guarantee sustainable national development, adding that there would equally be exchange programmes between the University and the Agency.

In his response, the Vice Chancellor of ESUT, Professor Okolie, who described the MoU as a welcome development, stated that it would help to guarantee the experiential learning model of Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State.

He further stated that ESUT had already inaugurated its Innovation and ICT Hub to guarantee certification programmes for staff and students of the University.

He also bemoaned the rote learning method of Nigerian education system, regretting that it has failed to address the problems of the society. He further stated that the MoU would be mutually-beneficial for both parties, urging the Agency to build and turn the Cosmic Ray Laboratory into a certification and training centre to address the gap in our education system.

He assured that ESUT would provide the needed support and security which would help to realize the goals of the Agency in the University.

The signing of the MoU equally coincided with the 15th Annual National Conference and General Meeting of the Astronomical Society of Nigeria themed: Astronomy and Space Science for National Development: The Role of Artificial Intelligence.

The conference was organized by the Department of Industrial Physics under the headship of Dr. Chima Iheanyichukwu Abraham.