Focus
How we pursue our vision and mission
Our vision and mission are pursued through six strategic pillars, with the acronym – FIIIPP
Funding
Finance is a major enabler of innovation. This ranges from finance for risk taking, finance for entrepreneurial adventures to finance for R&D. What funding models and schemes are available to our higher education institutions of learning for quality training, and basic and cutting-edge R&D? Other close related issues border on student’s scholarship schemes; general access to finance for further education and special programmes. Also important to our project is the capital flight, in billions of dollars, fuelled by citizens’ increasing preference to pursue overseas higher education.
As a think tank rooted in both theoretical and hands-on knowledge, at the Centre for Higher Education Innovation and Development, we go beyond mere intellectual discourse, and traditional strategy and policy formulation to in-depth research analyses to present practical solutions and roadmaps to identified issues.
Part of the process in the Centre is the periodic and consistent engagement with various governments’ entities and actors, academia, business and other important stakeholders.
Our work covers tracking of budget and expenditure for higher education and innovation, monitoring funding patterns, exploring avenues for sustainable funding etc.
Infrastructure
The second pillar focuses on the physical and soft structures that enable and support innovation. This includes a number of intertwined structures from transportation, accommodation, information, communication and technology networks, business regulations, intellectual property regime, tax policies, to healthcare and energy. Basically, innovation is the primary responsibility of the private sector, but, for it to thrive government should take the responsibility for creating enabling environment for innovators. This role is quite critical when you imagine the catalytic impact of infrastructure to innovation. CHEID will strive to find solutions to infrastructure challenges facing higher education institutions and Nigeria’s innovation ecosystem, by engaging government, policy makers, business community and thought leaders.
Innovation
No country can sustainably stay competitive in any sphere without a thriving innovation ecosystem fuelled by a strong innovation culture and network. CHEID is committed to creating and supporting innovation networks and sustained innovation culture through effective academia, industry and government collaborations. We take responsibility in pooling innovation catalysts and resources – private and public, together to achieve shared agenda/goals. In the Centre, ideas, data and skills merge for co-creation and open innovation. Road maps, national-scale agenda and frameworks for innovation are set and pursued at CHEID. We collaborate to conceptualize and iterate projects, shape opinions and influence positive change. In the end our ultimate goal is to contribute in making Nigeria more prosperous.
Intellectual Capital
This strand focuses more on the human dimension. The emphasis will be on knowledge creation, knowledge sharing, knowledge transfer, life-long skill and talent development. The Centre undertakes to imagine, anticipate and respond to the challenges of talent and intellectual capital development. We clearly understand that developing the right mix of talent for a nation or organisation is as critical as the quality of available talent resource.
Again, we recognize that innovating and creating new knowledge have some unintended negative consequences – some workers lose their places in the workplace due to the constant shifts in skills demand. Therefore, there must be mechanisms to support those caught in the web to successfully acquire new skills required for successful transition. Therefore, support for life-long skills and talent development will always command our attention.
Competition is as global as talent. Therefore, to augment local talent pool, we will always keep our antennae up is search of special talents from the Diaspora community. CHEID will serve as a conduit for identifying and attracting best brains back to Nigeria. These require we engage in talent mapping for industry, academia and government agencies.
Intellectual property (designs, patents, trademarks, etc) in this age of innovation is more than just an asset, it has become the business. Intellectual Property is very critical to Nigeria’s economic growth and global competitiveness. We will contribute in building a robust intellectual property regime for our economy. It’s not enough to incubate ideas; such ideas must be protected at all times to enable the creators and owners stand a chance of earning a return on their investment.
Partnerships
The Centre for Higher Education, Innovation and Development will pursue and support a strong collaborative partnership among higher education institutions, government and industry – a relationship that is also referred to as ‘Triple Helix’. A greater understanding of each of these critical parts of our economy, and a reinvigorated interaction among them, portends a more sustainable and all inclusive growth and development for our institutions in particular and the country at large. At the heart of the huge skills gap presently plaguing us, is the lacuna that exists between the higher education institutions and industry. There is also a linkage issue between the Federal and State governments in policy implementation and monitoring.
Through effective partnership and collaboration, institutions of higher learning are able to go beyond their traditional roles of teaching and learning and take responsibility for the economic and cultural vitality of their host communities. This does not happen by chance, but through careful orchestration. It is so critical that institutions design concrete strategic plans to engage their regional governments and help drive their economies.
Policy
We are committed to continually developing well researched policy proposals and agenda for governments, policy makers, and institutions. It is our desire to engage institutions and governments to advance and promote critical policy ideas needed to achieve accelerated growth and development through innovation.
