Academia serves as the centre for the generation of new knowledge and the impartation of education to students. Industry focuses on the application of skills and efficient management to address solutions that have commercial value… A combination of these two can lead to accelerated advances in innovation and entrepreneurship.
Similarly, businesses across different sectors in Nigeria have closed down, resulting in massive job losses/unemployment, while many others are adjusting to the new normal of keeping a remote workforce. Academia serves as the centre for the generation of new knowledge and the impartation of education to students. Industry focuses on the application of skills and efficient management to address solutions that have commercial value.
Essentially, universities and tertiary institutions of learning are preoccupied with expanding the scope of knowledge towards producing a skilled workforce for various industries operating in the economy. “Teaching, studies, and research must produce results to solve real-life problems. Therefore, there is a need for synergy between universities and the real world’’, Professor Afolayan added.
These collaborations offer opportunities for the training of industry employees, the running of internship programmes, and postgraduate training in the industry to university faculty and research staff.