COVID-19 increases access to digital space for scientists – Don

A university don, Professor Adenike Emeke, has said that the sudden outbreak of the Coronavirus pandemic is a blessing in disguise, especially for scientists and researchers in the country.

She said with the global health emergency, many Nigerian scientists and researchers have gained increased access to digital space for various purposes and services.

Emeke, Professor of Educational Evaluation, University of Ibadan (UI), said, “Even before COVID-19, the world had become more and more a global village. 

“And COVID-19 has even made it more of that, because a lot of things which would have been done through physical efforts, are now done virtually, and with the aid of both ICT and digital technologies.”

Speaking during a Zoom webinar themed, “Post COVID-19: The Future of Research and Innovation in Higher Educational Institutions,” she observed that online interactions have since become the in-thing for many, as people now believe things can be done virtually.

According to Emeke, the way academic and research activities are been performed digitally, electronically and virtually, will also be brought on board post COVID.

“As such, no lesson will be lost. And in fact, new capacities will also be brought on board.”

The UI don noted that many scientists across the globe are presently carrying out their research with the access provided by various digital platforms.

Emeke, equally stressed the need for strategic thinking and research governance in the capacity building of scientists and research-academics.photo: Prof Emeke

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