Placed under the sign of audacity, the first international scientific meeting of the National University of Science and Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (UNSTIM-Abomey) coupled with the first trade days started on Tuesday, November 21, 2022 and ended last Friday, November 25, 2022. Researchers, teachers, entrepreneurs, students and managers at various levels reflected on STEM for innovation and development.
Starting from a topical theme that aroused enough interest, the first International Scientific Symposium on Innovation in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics as a key lever for industrial development in Benin closed its doors with a satisfactory outcome and strong recommendations. These announce better prospects for the economic and social development of Benin. For four days, researchers and experts from 14 African and European countries, including Benin, gave their best to make this symposium a unique meeting.
Confident of the stakes and the mission entrusted to him by the Rupture government, Prof. Djimon Joachim Gbenou, Rector of UNSTIM, resolutely embarked on a bold undertaking by organising this Scientific Symposium which is a first in the history of this university. “A lot of ink has been spilled, but we have crossed the Rubicon, even though certain aspects of the organisation still need to be perfected. But from the point of view of self-assessment, a note of satisfaction can be given to all,” he stressed in his closing speech.
Review of Career Days activities and communication in the workshops
For the account of the first trade days; innovations carried out in the industries and universities of Benin are exposed to the great day through 46 Stands furnished and animated by the entities of the UNSTIM, the private Universities and industrialists of Benin, including the artisanal semi-industrial companies then the ANPE. Panels on agriculture, food security, renewable energy, the environment and a round table on the recurrent problem of post-training opportunities allowed the audience to better understand the contours of these themes. It is a “happy outcome due to the efforts of everyone at various levels so that for the first time UNSTIM could organise its first trade days” says Dr Thierry Godjo, Vice-rector in charge of University Cooperation.
Regarding the presentations held in plenary in 05 workshops with specific themes, a total of 164 presentations took place in person and by videoconference out of 236 abstracts from the 14 countries represented at this event. The topics discussed were of great interest to all participants. For Rector Pr Djimon Joachim Gbenou, “the harvest is fruitful.
Some recommandations
At the end of the four days of work, the participants decided on several recommendations. Among other things, these meetings revealed that :
training should be initiated to enable teachers to understand the regulatory framework for the exploitation of results,
supporting administrative systems be put in place to facilitate the application of patents by research teachers,
company internships should be better thought out so that content is given to the students’ internship at the end of their training,
the public-private partnership be strengthened for better employability in Benin,
The State should support scientific research at UNSTIM so that the University can really participate in the country’s development and finally boost research for the country’s industrial development.
It should be noted that given the various results obtained, the career days could be made permanent. Moreover, the University announces the organisation in 2023 of the national genius of entrepreneurship in Benin with its European partners.
