Julien: Training, research crucial for technology

Chairman of the board of governors of the University of TT, Prof Emeritus Kenneth Julien, says while countries can exist without universities that pursue both training and research, these countries end up either being left completely behind or paying substantial sums for the acquisition of technology.

Speaking at the opening session for the UTT’s second annual two-day research symposium on Research to Promote Sustainable National Development at its O’Meara, Arima, campus, Julien said this action very often was hidden under the mistaken title of “transfer of technology.” He said on examination, it was found that technology per se was not transferred, but had to be acquired, and usually at a price.

The symposium is set to showcase the research agenda being undertaken by UTT. Through oral and poster presentations, UTT researchers shared their findings in several areas.

Julien said one of UTT’s main goals is to build a culture of teaching excellence and innovation, higher learning achievement and sustained research outcomes which are relevant and impactful.

“Excellence will always be within our reach, but it is a moving target, particularly in areas of engineering and technology. Technology is an ever-changing process and emerging countries like TT will always be challenged to keep up to date.”

He fortunately, Government continued to support several tertiary institutions in TT. He said to many, this can be classified as an essential luxury – a possible contradiction in terms – but it was a necessity.

Julien said national universities such as UTT have a key role in ensuring that technology relevant to its needs for development becomes available by whatever means possible.

He said the optimum method was to create an environment in which relevant technology was being developed in a sustainable manner.

He said compared with Cambridge University, which recently celebrated 800 years of existence, UTT wasrelatively young, at just 15, but because of its “youth,” it had the advantage of flexibility in how it approached both its education and research mandates.

Julien acknowledged that university staff involved in researched faced one difficulty, and that was in having their research published.

“Competition to have papers published in international journals is very fierce, and for universities in the emerging or developing countries the barriers are almost insurmountable.”

Julien said this was a tumultuous period for UTT, as it was challenged by severe financial constraints.

However, he said through bold and visionary thinking, the faculty and students have defied the odds and displayed a high level of inventiveness necessary to survive the challenging times.