The Chairman, Covenant University(CU) Publication Committee, Prof. Solomon Oranusi, says the university has zero tolerance for the sales of handouts by lecturers to students in order to fight intellectual theft and plagiarism.
Oranusi told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Lagos that the privately-owned university was striving to rank among the 10 best universities in the world.
Covenant University, Ota in Ogun established in October 2012, is a faith-based institution owned by the Living Faith Church Worldwide and it is a member of the Association of Commonwealth Universities.
The institution ranked sixth in the July 2017 ranking by the National Universities Commission (NUC).
Oranusi said the feat achieved by the university, despite its young age, was as a result of due diligence to academic research and excellent teaching methodology.
“It is zero tolerance, that is, there is nothing like lecturers selling handouts to their students in Covenant University; you don’t try it; and as for textbooks, we don’t produce just any kind .
“We run textbook publication of international standard.
“We are not producing any textbook for our students to use; we produce for other authors, who want to publish materials, in the university.
“All the textbooks we use in CU must meet the standard set out by the international standard committee on publications.
“The university is now reckoned with because we maintain the policy of due diligence to academic research and second to none teaching methodology,’’ he said.
Oranusi, who is a Professor of Microbiology, said the policy of no sale of handout had earned the university the reputation in the publishing sector.
He added that it was a form of hard-earned quality control.
“Books must pass through academic reviews; through this committee, before we send them to reviewers outside the university.
“The reviewers give their result before any decision can be taken on a book, which is finally sent to the International Standard Desk for ratification before publication.
“Research works are held in the highest esteem by the university and we also have a zero tolerance for plagiarism.
“So, for you to publish anything or use some other people’s work, it must be certified.’’
Oranusi implored private universities to contribute their quota to the fight against intellectual theft by stopping all forms of plagiarism.
“Private universities should fight to protect intellectual properties.
“Intellectual property is in different foray, now looking at how some are using other persons’ materials without properly referencing them.
“For us, every seminal we hold and every project from our undergraduates, masters and doctoral degrees as well as paper presentations go through online checks before they are approved,’’ he said. (NAN)
