By David Brooks – November 22, 2022 |

Pitchfork Records owner Michael Cohen sifts through albums to mark prices at the downtown store on Wednesday, November 9, 2022. GEOFF FORESTER

Pitchfork Records manager Dr. Svensson works cataloging albums at the downtown store on Wednesday, November 9, 2022. GEOFF FORESTER

Pitchfork Records has been a downtown staple for decades. GEOFF FORESTIER

The north storefront of Pitchfork Records, a downtown staple for decades. GEOFF FORESTIER

Pitchfork Records has been a downtown staple for decades. GEOFF FORESTIER

Pitchfork Records has been a downtown staple for decades. GEOFF FORESTIER

Pitchfork Records has been a downtown staple for decades. GEOFF FORESTIER

Pitchfork Records manager Dr. Svensson works cataloging albums at the downtown store on Wednesday, November 9, 2022. GEOFF FORESTER

Pitchfork Records owner Michael Cohen sifts through albums to mark prices at the downtown store on Wednesday, November 9, 2022. GEOFF FORESTER

Pitchfork Records owner Michael Cohen sifts through albums to mark prices at the downtown store on Wednesday, November 9, 2022. GEOFF FORESTER

Pitchfork Records manager Dr. Svensson works cataloging albums at the downtown store on Wednesday, November 9, 2022. GEOFF FORESTER

Pitchfork Records owner Michael Cohen sifts through albums to mark prices at the downtown store on Wednesday, November 9, 2022. GEOFF FORESTER

With 49 years in the music business, Michael Cohen has seen it all. Lately, he’s been seeing it all again.

“Here we go again at the beginning!” said Cohen, the owner of downtown stalwart Pitchfork Records & Stereo, sounding both amused and a little incredulous.

Cohen was a student at Henniker’s New England College in 1972 when he and a few friends started selling vinyl records – then called LPs or long-form records to differentiate from the single-song 45’s. He says he was not particularly fond of music; it seemed like a fun thing to do. Then the friends wanted to sell so he bought the business for the princely sum of $400 in 1973 and didn’t look back. (By the way, the name pitchfork refers to Henniker’s agricultural history; the online music site of that name appeared decades later.)

Cohen quickly brought the store to Concord. Over the years, as LPs gave way to 8-tracks, cassettes and CDs, it moved up and down Main Street before settling 13 years ago in its current high-profile spot on the corner of Pleasant and North Main Streets, which once housed Foodee’s.

“It’s the best location in Concord,” he said. “We see everything. We see more than we want to see sometimes.

Pitchfork Records is a monument to the surprising resurgence of vinyl records, which have not only come back from the dead, but in 2021 CDs have actually surpassed themselves in this country. “If you asked me 5 years ago if this would last I would have said no, but it just keeps getting bigger and bigger,” Cohen said.

Much of Pitchfork’s business revolves around vinyl records. That includes hundreds of used ones that Cohen buys from people who (like this reporter) dumping their unplayed collection more than once seemed possible.

“It’s probably 20%, 25% of our business. The customer comes in, they downsize and it’s a win-win-win. They earn by selling something they don’t need; we win because it’s our business; and the buyer wins when they get a record they want,” Cohen said. “It’s the most profitable part of the business.”

The only non-winners are older people who complain that they gave away or threw away their old records years ago.

Pitchfork also sells many new records, both reissues of classic albums and recently pressed releases from current artists. The store also sells a number of different turntables for you to spin your analog tunes. And while new and used CDs remain a big part of the business, along with posters and other musical paraphernalia, it’s vinyl records that fill the windows and give Pitchfork its retro/modern aura.

“The customers are young, they’re old, people who’ve been shopping here the whole time it’s been open, a lot of teenagers from St. Paul’s come in and buy posters and vinyl. There’s a wide range of people,” said Dr. Svensson, a 2012 Concord High School graduate who worked at Pitchfork for three years.

The appeal of vinyl, she says, is multifaceted. “It’s the whole experience of going through them and finding stuff that you have no idea what it is and buying it because you’re curious, and there’s all the new vinyl, remastered and re-pressed, and all the new artists you can get. That’s it,” she said.

Perhaps surprisingly, Cohen said the advent of digital music and online streaming, which has devastated the finances of record labels and recording artists, hasn’t hurt him. Maybe that even helps.

“People hear something and then they walk in and buy a physical product. They don’t just want it on the phone; people want to own something,” he said.

The Pitchfork building is owned by Endicott Furniture, which Cohen calls “a big landlord,” and assuming music buying trends don’t take a weird, unprofitable turn – probably even the most old-school fan won’t. start demanding 78 or Edison Wax Cylinders – Pitchfork should stick around for a while.

“We’re an institution now,” Cohen joked.

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Extreme Commerce College (ECC), Pakistan’s premier entrepreneurial higher education institution, is recognized by the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan.

ISLAMABAD, ICT, PAKISTAN, Nov. 19, 2022 /EINPresswire.com/ — The Higher Education Commission of Pakistan (HEC) recognizes Pakistan’s premier entrepreneurial tertiary institute, Extreme Commerce College (ECC).

Prioritizing entrepreneurship as one of the most important faculties to secure the future of Pakistani youth, the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan (HEC) has recognized the country’s first entrepreneurial higher education institute , the Extreme Commerce College.

The Higher Education Commission (HEC) by its Notification No. 14(131)/A&A/Acc/HEC-2022 has officially recognized Extreme College Commerce (ECC) and its qualifications. Through this, ECC students will benefit from nationally recognized international qualifications. This recognition improves the opportunities and gateways offered to students.

With the aim of bridging gaps in academic knowledge and a successful professional career, Extreme Commerce College was established with the aim of providing a stimulating environment for Pakistani students and young workforce to develop an entrepreneurial spirit and innovative, encouraging them to realize their full potential. College instills learning while earning and empowering. This is achieved by harnessing competency and qualification based learning. As the pioneer of the entrepreneurial Institute of Higher Education (HEI) in the country, ECC offers complementary incubation and structured training in e-commerce to all students throughout their time at the university. The college also provides students with hands-on and experiential learning opportunities, where industry practitioners and entrepreneurs are available to share their knowledge of the digital ecosystem.

The visionary leadership of Extreme Commerce has been able to spot the huge national potential that lies in human capital and has worked tirelessly to realize its vision of making Pakistan the global hub of administrative and technical services for global markets. of e-commerce.

Extreme Commerce College (ECC) is Pakistan’s first entrepreneurial tertiary institute that came into existence as a joint venture between Extreme Commerce and the Independent Business School, Oxford. ECC’s goal as a futuristic academic and incubation center is to build and deliver a comprehensive range of affordable pre-graduate to post-graduate and competency-based learning, complemented by world-class international qualifications.

The ECC is the premier national institute for digital entrepreneurship, focusing on e-commerce and emerging technologies. Its headquarters are in Karachi, with satellite incubator campuses in eight different cities, which can accommodate students nationwide and provide an opportunity to network with over a million e-commerce experts and entrepreneurs. through the online community of Extreme Commerce in the world.

Syed Taha Bin Hasan
Extreme Commerce College (ECC)
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Extreme Commerce College – Empowering Pakistanis to Learn and Earn, Life at ECC

Horizon Therapeutics plc today announced that it has entered into a multi-year scientific collaboration with Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine to identify novel disease targets and develop therapies for patients with severe autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. The initial focus is the emerging field of immunometabolism, the study of metabolic processes in the body that, when dysregulated, can lead to autoimmunity and inflammation. This is the first project of the collaboration, with other projects to follow.

“Collaboration is key to advancing science and we are very pleased to begin working with Johns Hopkins University,” said Elizabeth HZ Thompson, Ph.D., executive vice president, research and development, Horizon. “By combining Johns Hopkins’ capabilities in preclinical research with Horizon’s expertise in autoimmunity, our teams will advance translation and research efforts to meet the unique needs of different patient populations.

Horizon researchers, in collaboration with experts from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, aim to identify novel metabolic pathways that lead to chronic inflammation and autoimmunity in different subgroups of patients with myositis. This in-depth knowledge of the pathways will then be used to identify new drug targets that may be suitable for drug discovery.

The collaboration comes as Horizon strengthens its presence in Maryland and will be the first tenant of the Alexandria Center® on the Traville Gateway campus in Rockville, Maryland. Once complete, the state-of-the-art facility will support job growth and drive the Company’s ongoing efforts to develop new medicines.

“As Horizon deepens our footprint in the Maryland region, we believe this collaboration will strengthen the world-class scientific thinking and technical capabilities found in Maryland’s life sciences ecosystem,” said Robert Stoffel, Ph.D., Vice President, Research, Horizon. “Working hand in hand with experts from Johns Hopkins University will allow our teams to better understand the biology of the diseases we study and identify new preclinical targets that could lead to new therapies.”

About Horizon

Horizon is a global biotechnology company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of medicines that address the critical needs of people affected by rare, autoimmune and serious inflammatory diseases. Our pipeline is useful: we apply scientific expertise and courage to bring clinically meaningful therapies to patients. We believe science and compassion must work together to transform lives. For more information on how we go to incredible lengths to impact lives, visit www.horizontherapeutics.com and follow us on TwitterLinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

See the source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20221116005403/en/

In this interview, Hajiya Maryam Hassan Baba, Founder of the Northern Therapist Organization in Nigeria, spoke about the role of the non-governmental organization in accompanying people on how to build healthy marital relationships, the negative impact of divorce on society, etc.

What is your conference about?

The Northern Therapist Organization in Nigeria is a marriage institution that coaches and guides young people to build healthy marital relationships. It also helps existing couples to build better relationships. We do this through our services, which are premarital counseling and the annual marriage conference, where we have a large number of people who come together, with guest speakers who are Islamic scholars, marriage professionals and other life entities, to talk about contemporary marriage issues and how to deal with them.

The essence of the conference is to normalize discussions about marital relationships and their health, as well as how they reflect our society. If we have healthy marital relations, we will certainly have a healthy society.

We have a few people who come together to pay for our services, where we will do individual therapy on premarital counseling, but the marriage conference is a free event. Many people can come to learn about healthier ways to navigate their married life and bring it back to society.

What we want to achieve, above all, is to remind people of the importance of marriage for societal change. Also, that marriage is an institution that should be treated as such. This is because getting married is not only enough, it is very important to have a healthy relationship.

So, at the conference, there is a wake-up call for all who attend, on the importance of marital relationships and how they can achieve it. That’s why we have guest speakers like Islamic scholars who would remind us all of the importance of this as per our religion and the reward you get when you are fair to your spouse, supporting and comforting them , and how it leads to having well-grounded children who will contribute to society by not being a nuisance.

What were the successes of the first conference that motivated you to return this year?

In the first event, we had 400 attendees and guest speakers like Hajiya Maryam Lemu, Dr. Abdallah Gadon Kaya. And so far, we’re getting positive feedback on the conference from people who have helped them figure out better ways to navigate their married life.

Since then people have been calling us for another free marriage counseling so they can build a better life. The conference is aimed at single, married and about to be married couples.

Divorce cases in northern Nigeria have been on the rise for a very long time, to the point that some young people are afraid to marry. Why do you think divorce cases continue to increase each year?

The reason is that, first, we have unrealistic expectations from the bride and groom. Everyone wants different things in marriage, but at first you’ll find that the couple doesn’t want to sit down together to check each other out and see if they’re on the same page, so that’s what I expect from you is also what you are expect from me. At the end of the day, they get married and realize that what they want from this marriage is not what they got. And because of that, they are not ready to put much effort into marriage.

Secondly, there is the issue of financial hardship because as you get married you have more responsibilities. So while trying to fulfill this responsibility, especially in the northern part of Nigeria as Muslims, where more female responsibilities fall on the husband’s shoulder, he will be so overwhelmed trying to provide for the needs of the family, as the woman might simply feel neglected or ignored.

And because women can be very emotional, they’ll start to feel like they’re not being given the attention they want. She’ll start to think that’s what marriage is all about. All of these play a vital role in the rise of divorce in society.

An issue that has been gaining attention lately is patriarchy, which this part of the world is known for, as well as the growing issue of feminism, do you see a clash between these two polarizing ideas, which are helping to destabilize marriages in the region?

Yes. It is a difficult time for people now because the balance between Westernization and being Muslim has become a challenge in the marital institution, as has the gap between male education and of the woman.

The point is that as mothers, the focus has always been on the girl – taking her to Islamiyya school, even the scholarships favor the girl. You would see that even in terms of discipline, the parents pay more attention to trying to ensure that the girl is well grounded so that she can be marriageable.

So at the end of the day, you’re preparing a grounded wife, but the husband, on the other hand, isn’t as well rounded because he’s been ignored in the discipline aspect. Now, if these two people get married, they will clash because one is better grounded while the other is not. The problem is that the person who is more grounded is not the one with the mantle of leadership, so it is difficult for them to be led by someone who is less grounded. That’s to say a huge challenge for the marriage institute.

Second, for women, there is a blurry line between what is right and what is beyond limits. So, for some of them who are well-educated, education makes them feel like they can’t submit to anyone, which is contrary to what it is supposed to teach them.

We know that when they get married, there will definitely be a conflict. In this case, I would say that Westernization has brought a challenge.

Social media has also brought huge challenges because until now you could only find out about people’s married life when you were very close to them, but now all you have to do is d Open your Instagram or Facebook and you’ll just hear great stuff. And that thing that you consume affects how you think and how the institution of marriage should be. You will start demanding and comparing things that are not within your partner’s reach. You will start to have unrealistic expectations. And that will bring us back to divorce triggers.

As you said, the focus now has been on educating girls, so much so that we have more enlightened women than men; does it make it harder for women to submit? What is the output?

The way forward is for parents and religious leaders to have a balance and not focus too much on training girls alone while ignoring boys. There was a time when boys were better educated than girls and there were problems, but now it’s the other way around.

Religious institutions should do a lot of enlightenment and sensitization on the importance of educating men about religion. It is because marriage is something that comes from religion. The rules of marriage and how to manage it are in religion. If a man is the head of the marriage, he is supposed to have more knowledge if not equal knowledge. We aim for fairness, not equality. There should be a balance.

But some say that God didn’t create us to be balanced or equal, which is the basis of feminism, where some demand fairness while others advocate for equality, what do you think?

I would like to say that when it comes to achieving a goal and solving a problem, it doesn’t matter who plays the most roles, all that matters is that the goal is achieved. In the realization of a better society, which ideal marriages obviously produce, everyone should have access to it. That’s what we should be looking at. We should also look at how we used to do things and see if they worked for us.

For the sake of clarity, we are not against feminism, so it is wrong to assume that. We believe in a balanced society. We recognize that men are leaders and that women submit to marriages, and there is always power in submission. Thus, we do not give any special treatment to anyone. All we know is that in your role as a woman, you have the ability to do what you have to do, and in your role as a man, you have the ability to do what you have to do.

What is the theme of the conference?

This year’s theme is “Maintaining a healthy relationship”, which is a continuation of last year’s theme: Building a healthy relationship.

What is your advice to the general public on the importance of having a healthy marital institution?

We should know that marriage is not something you just do, it has rules and regulations. You have to know that you are dealing with another human being, so you have to be sensitive, have empathy, learn to communicate and treat marriage as the institution it is, and be fair in order to get the blessings of Allah.

Reverend Dr Timothy Mncube of Randfontein received his flowers while he can still smell them and was appreciated by friends and family.

This was through a celebratory event held in his honor at Usambara in Krugersdorp on October 29.

Mncube received an honorary doctorate from the Martin Luther King School of Bible and Theology; in Fellowship with International University College Faith Theological Seminary in Finland on November 30, 2020.

Speaking to the Herald in an interview, Dr Mncube Plenary Team Chairman Michael Sosibo said they decided to honor Mncube because he was an exemplary figure in the community of Randfontein and surrounding areas. since many years.

“We decided to honor Dr. Mncube for his achievement after he received an honorary doctorate. We felt as a team that he simply could not be honored by a university in Finland and not in his country of origin. I then decided to gather the people he had relationships with who had had a positive impact on their lives and informed them of my plans to celebrate Dr. Mncube.

“They bought into my idea of ​​honoring him for his accomplishments by getting a doctorate and having had a mission that went beyond the chair,” said Sosibo, who added that Dr Mncube had dedicated himself to the community work rather than the priesthood.

He is the former Father and Rector of St Paul’s Anglican Church in Mohlakeng.

He was then taken to higher heights which saw him become a priest and rector at St Paul’s Anglican Church in White City Jabavu and also served as director of the community center in Ipeleng.

He resides in Finsbury but has positively impacted those in and around the entire Randfontein community.

Connor Recck ’23

Contributing author

Everyone always tells you that college will be the best four years of your life. I’ve almost finished my four years at Trinity, and it’s interesting to say the least. Coming here for the fall 2019 semester, I knew college was an opportunity to reinvent myself. I looked forward to meeting the peers with whom I would spend the next four years; however, in the back of my mind, I couldn’t help but think that I would have a hard time fitting in here.

The summer before my senior year of high school, I officially came out as gay to my classmate. For some time, I had been slowly breaking the news to close friends. It was the first moment I really felt a weight lift off my shoulders. My last year of high school gave me the opportunity to feel good about myself, it was the first time that I felt really connected to my identity.

Coming to Trinity during my freshman year, I once again lost the comfort and stability of living in an environment where people knew the real me. I quickly realized that I had my work cut out. I was no longer surrounded by the people I had grown up with; rather, I was surrounded by strangers. I was now looking for my place on this campus.

During my four years on this campus, I have had the privilege of meeting so many different people. I came to Trinity as a member of the men’s swimming and diving team. I quickly became close to many members of the men’s and women’s teams during my Trinity experience. Due to the pandemic, I made the difficult decision to quit the swim team before my junior season. Many of the decisions I’ve made during my time here have been difficult, but I’ve been fortunate to have developed an invaluable network of friends who have stuck by my side.

It wasn’t always easy being a gay man on a sports team. My freshman year was filled with many ups and downs, but to the teammates who supported me through thick and thin, thank you. Some of the nicest people I’ve met in this institution have been in situations where I’m at my lowest; to this support network I’ve built here at Trinity: thank you.

My time in class allowed me to broaden my identity even more. At the start of my sophomore year, I declared my major in public policy and law. Shortly after, I declared a second major in economics. I came to Trinity thinking maybe I’d major in English – and don’t get me wrong, I’ve taken many English courses over my college career, but quickly realized that the English was not the choice for me. After being sent home and back for the fall 2020 semester, I decided to change course. I’m now thrilled to say that I’m on track to complete both majors by spring!

In light of all the situations I’ve found myself in on this campus, my journey with my identity has been difficult. I’m not going to water it down; Trinity is an extremely heteronormative institution. Any LGBTQ person can point this out to you, but I’ve learned to wear those differences like badges of honor. When you stop making comparisons, you can come to find peace with yourself. I came to Trinity constantly comparing myself to the stereotypes that exist on this campus; I’m leaving Trinity this spring hopefully challenging as many of these stereotypes as possible – and doing so with a smile on my face.

UCLA hosted an inter-campus forum for faculty and administration on Thursday to discuss progress toward achieving federal Hispanic-serving institution designation.

The three-hour Hispanic-Serving Institutions Vision Forum was held in the Ackerman Union Grand Ballroom. UC faculty and administrators, including Chancellor Gene Block, came to discuss goals and statistics regarding the university’s progress toward achieving federal HSI designation and celebrate the findings of a report from the UCLA HSI working group. To become an HSI, at least 25% of the university’s full-time undergraduate student body must be Hispanic. Students, graduates and professors participated in the forum.

Block opened the forum and thanked faculty and attendees for coming together to discuss the initiative, and said he looked forward to the work to be done over the next few years.

Sylvia Hurtado, professor of education and co-chair of the HSI task force, said at the event that earning the HSI designation would help UCLA meet the UC system’s goals for equity and achievement. degrees by the end of the decade. The recent HSI Task Force report was created using discussions and interviews with staff, students, and faculty to both make progress toward achieving the HSI designation and better understand how to serve and support students, added Hurtado.

“Our strengths are that we have the highest retention and completion rates in the UC system, and perhaps among most four-year institutions,” Hurtado said. “But that doesn’t mean our students aren’t struggling. They are talented survivors. They need recognition and support to fly on this campus.

Following the keynote speakers, Marcela Cuellar, professor of education at UC Davis, and Marla Franco, associate vice provost for HSI initiatives at the University of Arizona, gave presentations on implementing the recommendations for moving towards HSI designation and greater equity.

Cuellar, who is also a graduate of the School of Education and Information Studies, said being an HSI should be an active and intentional effort. Some issues continue to make students feel less welcome at UCLA; she herself never received her official acceptance letter upon admission to UCLA, causing confusion and disappointment, she said. Although UCLA was originally her dream school, she chose another university because she felt more welcome there, Cuellar added.

“Even though my heart was here, I had to seize the opportunity — where I felt seen, where I felt welcome, and where there was opportunity,” she said at the event. “That’s still what I see as some of the challenges that continue to persist at institutions like UCLA, but really a lot of our institutions.”

A lively discussion followed the presentations, during which members of the public posed questions to speakers on a panel.

Sonja Diaz, founding director of the UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute, asked Franco to discuss curricular changes and the role of faculty in shaping the University of Arizona to receive its current HSI designation. .

Franco responded that leadership, including strong and explicit public support from senior leaders on campus, as well as support and encouragement from faculty to actively engage in HSI initiatives, has served the university well.

Obtaining the HSI designation would make the university eligible to apply for federal funding to improve programming and infrastructure to support its students, Cuellar said.

Although UC campuses do better for Latinx students compared to other universities, equity gaps need to continue to be closed, which may involve cultural change, she added.

Franco said a university must perform intentional introspection and focus on specific roadblocks — such as enrollment management plans and strategies, or financial support — to sustain progress toward HSI transformation.

“These types of things also require dedicated financial resources. … Access to our institutions requires a plan,” Franco said at the event. “What are those parts and how do we spell that now? … How do we ensure that UCLA is an institution where students can feel they can bring their whole being?

Elizabeth Gonzalez, inaugural director of UCLA’s HSI, then delivered closing remarks. She said progress towards becoming an HSI must involve a balance of research, practice and support.

“Sometimes it’s very difficult to bridge that gap, to move from those abstract concepts and theory to the day-to-day practice of this work,” Gonzalez said at the event. “You need to have institutional leaders who support you and bring visibility to this work – that is, if you don’t, good luck.”

By David Onwuchekwa Nnewi

Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU) in Anambra State has identified science, technology, innovation and entrepreneurship as the foundation for all meaningful development in society.

This was the subject of the 4th International Conference and Exhibition organized by the Faculty of Physical Sciences, Chukwuemeka Odumwgwu Ojukwu University, Uli, Anambra State, in association with Anambra State Petroleum and Mineral Resources.

In the 5-day program which included presentations from academics and other off-campus resource persons, the University’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Greg Nwakoby, said the theme of this year’s conference : Advancing Nigerian content development for industrial productivity and sustainable digital economy was appropriate.

Apt in the sense that he believed it corresponded to the desire of the state government to create a technologically advanced and economically viable state.

The VC noted that the vision of the founding fathers of the University was to raise students grounded in science and technology, research and innovations to serve as stepping stones to sustainability and economic empowerment.

The Dean of the Faculty of Physical Sciences, Professor Kingsley Nwozor, during his speech at the conference, noted that the event marked FAPSCON 2022 was special as it was the first time the faculty had worked with the new Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources of Anambra State, described as one of the ministries inherited from the Soludo administration.

“We are also deepening our contacts and networks under the Triple Helix Plus model of connecting universities, government, industry and civil society.

“In all of this, we are accelerating the push for academic industrialization as envisioned by our Vice-Chancellor, Professor Greg Nwakoby. The broad acceptance of the conference across all shades of opinion and social strata is a telling testimony that the FAPSCON message is enjoyable and penetrating,” Professor Nwozor said.

He explained that the theme and activities of this year’s conference and exhibitions were, to a very large extent, the implementation of last year’s conference communiqué.

He said the faculty this time has integrated secondary schools under the banner of the Young Scientists and Future Innovators Program (YSFIP). He told the conference that the idea was to build the scientific confidence of high school students and have them navigate ahead of their peers in the exciting world of innovations.

He noted that the event also exposed the students of the university, including new graduates and young professionals, to living in the digital age through the capacity building workshop on career growth and survival strategies in a digital economy.

“In this context, this year’s conference has been designed to accelerate the pace of our university on the highway of academic industrialization as we activate the Industrial Research and Innovation Endowment Fund (IRIEF). This is a special purpose vehicle to fund and support industry-defined areas of research that aligns with the Nigerian Content Development Program for the development of local technologies and indigenous solutions for industries and businesses,” he noted.

The President, Local Organizing Committee and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academics), Professor Osita Chiaghanam, on their part, said he was enthusiastic about the renewed vigor with which the Faculty has made its international conference an event. annual, describing it as a huge success for the Faculty and the university as a whole.

He noted that the working relationship between the Faculty and the new Anambra State Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources as a parent of the Ministry of Science and Technology is strong and symbolic.

“Oil and gas is undoubtedly a jealous business, but we hope that science, technology and innovation will in the near future be a stand-alone ministry given the great intellectual capacity and digital visions of the governor of the oil and gas. State of Anambra, Professor Soludo.

“As a hub of academic excellence and a network of upcoming industrial opportunities, the general public is invited to take note of the academic and infrastructural development of the Faculty. The Faculty’s six programs are fully accredited by the National Universities Commission (NUC).

“The fruits of this clean NUC health check are further manifested in the quality of our graduates, our international engagements, the quality of research outputs, staff ratings, and the student satisfaction experience,” said Professor Chiaghanam.

In his presentation, the State Commissioner for Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Mr. Tony Ifeanya, noted that the theme of the conference captured many references that Governor Soludo had made about his vision and goals for the state. of Anambra during his inaugural address.

He encouraged the need for every school child to receive a 21st century education in the digital age.

The commissioner said the Soludo administration was working to transition the state to a non-oil economy framework via the 21st century imperative of “all technology” to improve productivity, economic growth and social progress.

“Science, technology and innovation have been identified by the United States Government Department of State as the dominant forces in modern society and international economic development.

“The department carries out public policy programs that promote the value of science to the general public; implements capacity building programs in emerging markets that train young men and women to become science and technology entrepreneurs; and strengthens innovation ecosystems globally,” said the Commissioner.

Secondary schools inside and outside Anambra State that participated in the conference with their various exhibits were Divine Rays British School, Obosi; Regina Pacis Madel Secondary School, Onitisha and Chosen International School.

Figures from academia, government, business and industry and various vocations graced the conference.