The management of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) has disclosed that a large chunk of funds has been invested toward the expansion of laboratory infrastructures of the university’s various faculties.

Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Olufemi Peters, stated this while delivering a keynote address at the opening ceremony of a 2-day workshop on capacity building for efficient laboratory management.

The workshop, held on Thursday, September 26, 2024 at the university’s headquarters in Abuja, underscored the critical importance of laboratory safety, proper maintenance and adherence to ethical standards in producing reliable and credible research results.

Represented by the Dean, Faculty of Health Sciences, Prof. Shehu Usman Adamu, Peters emphasised the pivotal role laboratories play in driving scientific breakthroughs.

He said, while declaring the event open, that workshop was a strategic initiative to ensure that “our laboratories are equipped not just with state-of-the-art facilities, but also managed efficiently to deliver impactful academic and research outcomes.

“We have invested significantly in expanding our laboratory infrastructure across various faculties, however, the success of these investments hinges on the ability of our staff to maintain, secure, and effectively utilise these facilities.”

The VC stressed the need for participants to pay close attention to every detail, as accurate results depend on well-managed laboratories.

“Once a lab result is confirmed by our team, it stands as a standard benchmark. Therefore, you must ensure our practices are ethically sound and our equipment well-calibrated,” he said.

The Registrar of the university, Mr. Ajayi Oladipo, represented by Mr. Muyiwa Harrison of the Registry, expressed appreciation to the Vice-Chancellor for his unwavering support in approving all requests related to laboratory development and modernisation.

He expressed gratitude for the recent acquisition of state-of-the-art equipment, including a one-of-its-kind diagnostic unit in the Department of Environmental Health Sciences.

Harrison reiterated NOUN’s dedication to fostering a culture of excellence and continuous professional development and urged participants to leverage the knowledge gained from the workshop to optimise laboratory operations, thereby contributing to the university’s academic mission.

In her vote of thanks, Ms. Mabel Madu, speaking on behalf of the Acting Director for Staff Training and Development (ST&D), praised the university’s efforts in advancing laboratory management and commended the Vice-Chancellor’s foresight in initiating such a critical capacity-building programme.

“We are proud to be part of this initiative and look forward to seeing how this training will translate into improved research outcomes and laboratory efficiency,” she added.