Latest update April 25th, 2024 12:59 AM
Apr 04, 2014 News
A call has been made by Vice Chancellor of the University of Guyana (UG), Professor Jacob Opadeyi, for academics to undertake courses in the area of intellectual property rights. Intellectual property speaks to the legal concept which refers to creations of the mind for which exclusive rights are recognised.
The need for this course of action was emphasised by the Vice Chancellor following the granting of funds, amounting to US$399,000, for 21 academics of the tertiary institution to undertake various investigative works.
“One interesting thing that came up when we were looking through the contracts is the question of intellectual property. Under this project the intellectual property rights belong to the University and that is why we are paying money to acquire it,” said Professor Opadeyi.
As such, he noted that he found it necessary to advice each of the academics to avail themselves to online courses on Intellectual Property.
“Take that course on your own; register and get your own certificate so that you will be certified in that area, because we have to start respecting the output of our research so that when you start doing something and you find that this thing is new and this thing is marketable, you have to start looking at ‘how can I market it?’”
And according to the Vice Chancellor, he has the fitting role at the University to market just about any investigative work.
“I will tell you that my role in this University is to market your research; I can market anything…Just give me something that the public needs and I can market it,” boasted Professor Opadeyi.
The academics who were able to secure grants will, divided into eight teams, undertake research projects in the areas of: the carbon storage potential of the mangrove forest in Guyana; the culture and propagation of edible mushrooms on different organic substrates in Guyana; the impacts of artisanal and small-scale mining and their associated road infrastructure on biodiversity in the Mahdia mining district; the effects of educational intervention about “Bush Medicine” on the knowledge, attitudes and practices of Pharmacists and Physicians; the effects of Momordica charantia (corilla) on secondary and primary cancer cell lines; antimicrobial activities of selected fruits and vegetables against selective pathogenic micro-organisms; an experimental approach to economic behaviour, culture and institutions in support of low carbon development; and evaluating the use of solar-generated steam power in the University’s thermodynamics laboratory.
The projects are being funded under the US$10 million University of Guyana Science and Technology Support Project (UGSTSP) – facilitated by a loan from the World Bank – and are being executed by the Ministry of Education in collaboration with UG.
And it is the expectation of the Vice Chancellor that the academics, currently engaged in the respective projects, will bring to bear successful projects similar to what he himself has undertaken.
“I invented a flood warning system which would dial your phone number if your house is about to be flooded…We sent it to China and we produced several thousand copies,” Professor Opadeyi said.
“I want little things like that, that matter to the general public…that we can replicate and further develop,” added the Vice Chancellor who disclosed that the Government of China has even indicated its interest to support innovation at the University.
But apart from research and development, he stressed the need for investors who can funnel monies toward inventions that can help to put the local University conspicuously on the intellectual map. Moreover, he insisted that the projects that are being undertaken will certainly not “end up on the shelf; it is not going to be some paper published and then we clap for you.”
Currently the Vice Chancellor is engaged in strategic discussions to develop a marketing plan for the University since according to him, “this University has no marketing plan, we just sit down and say ‘okay apply to come to us’; we have to go to the customers,” the Vice Chancellor stated.
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