The University of Guyana (UG) and the Institute of Applied Science and Technology (IAST) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for the sharing of equipment and resources, staff and student exchange, and research and library access, on August 19.
The MOU, signed by IAST Director Dr Suresh Narine and UG Vice Chancellor Professor Lawrence Carrington, will see an ongoing process of updating the databases of instrumentation on a bi- annual basis with the databases being made available to staff of both institutions and interested stakeholders.
Director of the Institute of Applied Science and Technology (IAST) Dr Suresh Narine (right) and Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Lawrence Carrington, ink the agreement for sharing of equipment and resources for science research
According to a Government Information Agency (GINA) release, within two weeks of the signing of the agreement, the partners are required to designate personnel who will be responsible for the necessary information, and will be required to submit reports on current inventory at both institutions as part of the annual report on progress made under the agreement.
Dr Narine, in addressing media operatives, stated that the two entities have shared a close working relationship over the years, and that relationship has proven successful.
This, he said, has seen lecturers collaborating on several science projects, and that collaboration has been significantly benefiting students.
“Apart from signing this agreement today, we have had a relatively close relationship in our everyday venture; and the MOU will basically see us sharing our resources, both human and equipment,” he said. While the institute can boast of conducting intense applied research in its curriculum, Dr Narine stated, the institution currently does not have the capacity to house a large staff complement to conduct science research.
He added that, since 2005, the institute has significantly improved its scientific infrastructure with a budgetary allocation of Gy$30M. And in 2011, it’s budget was significantly increased to Gy212M to conduct science and technology research.
“While there has been a drastic increase in science and technology investment, the agreement also articulates simple methods on how IAST and the University of Guyana can utilize equipment and resources of both entities.
“We will also establish a single point of contact for students to also access resources,” he said.
Dr Carrington, while expressing the university’s satisfaction with the collaboration, said that it is necessary, since the future will demand careful use of resources. Alluding to government’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS), he said that the initiative has opened a scientific engagement which fits into the fundamental research which will take the country into a low carbon future. Staff members of the University of Guyana have already identified more than 70 research projects to be undertaken.
Dr Carrington, however, made it clear that the MOU does not involve any new funds being allocated to the institutions, as future research will be funded from the institutions’ current grants.
An important aspect of the MOU entails collaboration of the social services’ dimension. This will involve costing, marketing, and negotiating with interested parties on research activities, as well as multidisciplinary research in economics and sociology. The entities will also collaborate under the auspices of the Centre for Communication Studies to publicise and market joint initiatives, and for the provision of services to attract the private sector.
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