It promises to be a harvest of intellectual celebrations and thanksgiving as the Faculty of Engineering, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Uli, holds its fourth International Conference on Engineering Adaptation and Policy Reforms for Industrial Development (ICEAPR).


The fourth in the series, the upcoming academic event has as its thĺeme, “Nigeria beyond Oil: the Role of Engineers”.


The Dean of the Faculty, Engineer Dr John Atuchukwu disclosed this in a Press Conference at the Faculty’s Office, Uli Campus, to mark the upcoming conference.


According to Engineer Atuchukwu, through such conferences, the Faculty pursues expansion in all frontiers of learning with the aim of becoming one of the leading centres of teaching, learning and research in Engineering in the country.


He said that the first (ICEAPR) with the theme: ‘Engineering Policy for sustainable industrial & Economic Development of Nigeria’ was organized by the Faculty in 2012 in the then Anambra State University which was initiated by the then Vice Chancellor, Prof. Fidelis Okafor, which he said, was aimed at igniting research interests in the Faculty of Engineering in particular and the University at large.


The Faculty Dean explained that the fourth International Conference (ICEAPR 2019) is designed to further ignite interest amongst Engineers in researching on alternatives to oil, adding that the positive impact of the previous conferences speak volumes of the laudable objectives of the conferences and  visionary qualities of past and present Vice Chancellors in taking the University to the next level.
For the Chairman of the Local Organizing Committee for the event, Engineer Dr Akinpelu Babayemi who observed that most of the socio-economic problems confronting Nigeria today centres around oil, added that the major focus of the conference is to find solution and develop strategies towards achieving the much-talked about diversification of the economy.


Engineer Dr JohnPaul Iloh who is the Secretary of the Local Organizing Committee and Head of Electrical and Electronics Engineering Department, revealed that the event is scheduled to attract very eminent Nigerians and experts in the diversification drive having  been confirmed to lead discussions at the upcoming conference.