Call for more research resources

As the University of Lomé prepared to host the international science conference JSIL-2018 (Journées Scientifiques Internationales de Lomé 2018) in the coming week, its director of research and innovation, Essohana Batchana, said he regretted the lack of resources allocated to research and innovation and their absence from university programmes.

JSIL-2018, which takes place from 8 to 13 October, is centred on the theme Africa: What Research and Innovation for Sustainable Development?. About 2,000 researchers, scientists, and representatives from industry and politics who are concerned with development are due to attend, from Belgium, Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, France, Germany, Mali, Morocco, Niger, Senegal and Togo, according to the University of Lomé.

Ahead of the conference, Batchana said: “If we can be pleased about the fact that the education sector, which is considered as an important stepping stone to development, has a place in achieving sustainable development objectives, it is very odd that research, which goes hand-in-hand with education, has been completely forgotten,” reported République Togolaise.

He hoped that research would be valued more highly and structured to allow universities, in Togo and elsewhere in Africa, to improve their fundamental missions, notably training, research and services to the community, reported République Togo.

Research areas that JSIL-2018 will cover in eight workshops are natural and agricultural sciences; mathematics, physics and chemistry; engineering and computer sciences; arts, languages and communication; humanities and sociology; law, politics and administration; economics and management; and health and sports. – Compiled by Jane Marshall

This article is drawn from local media. University World News cannot vouch for the accuracy of the original reports.