UNILAG’ll Explore Avenues to Promote New Courses on Glass Technology, Says Ogundipe

Bennett Oghifo

The Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Professor Oluwatoyin Ogundipe has said that the university would do its best to boost existing programmes that have glass as part of their curriculum while pushing to explore avenues for boosting our capacity to promote new courses in glass technology for entrepreneurship.

Prof. Ogundipe stated this during the celebration of the International Year of Glass organiised recently by the United Nation Information Centre in Lagos is collaborating with the University of Lagos, Lagos State Government, Arcline Beehive Design and other stakeholders to enhance awareness and education about glass while celebrating its contribution, especially to the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development goals (SDGs).

The VC, who was represented at the celebration, said UNILAG “is pleased to be involved in this noble cause.” The United Nations General Assembly, he said, adopted a resolution on 18th May 2021 declaring 2022 as the International Year of Glass to “shine a light on the role of glass in our societies” and show how glass can contribute to sustainable development. This has drawn attention to its importance in various sectors, from aerospace and automobile industries to healthcare and architecture. 

The fact that glass has always been with us though poorly recognised is the reason 2022 will be celebrated as the UN International Year of Glass (IYOG). This year the UN celebrates the essential role of glass through the ages from Mesopotamia to Rome, to Europe, the near and far East, Africa and the rest of the world.

Adding to this perspective, the Director, United Nations Center, Nigeria (UNIC), Mr. Ronald Kayanja stated that “On May 18, 2021, the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted the UN resolution 75/279 declaring 2022 the International Year of Glass to “shine a light on the role of glass in our societies” and show how technologies like glass can contribute to sustainable development.

“Our vision of the United Nations International Year of Glass (IYoG2022) is to celebrate the past, present, and future of this transformative material following the United Nations’ goals in Agenda 2030. Specifically, to: Demonstrate the role of glass in advancing civilization throughout recorded history.

Organise international glass science and art festivals, with workshops to excite and inform the public of this rich history, and highlight links between glass, art and culture.

Stimulate research on glass amongst organizations in education, industry, research and the public domain, including museums, to address the great challenges the world faces: achieving sustainable and equitable growth, and improving the quality of life everywhere.

Build worldwide alliances focused on science and engineering for young people, while addressing gender balance and the needs of developing countries/emerging economies.

The spotlight on glass is meant to highlight how a traditional product can be a part of sustainable development.

Humans have been using glass for thousands of years. Today, glass is an important part of our lives: We use glass to build cars and aeroplanes, houses and sculptures; we use it to communicate at the speed of light using fiber optics in our internet cables; we use glass to see more with microscopic lenses and to save energy with insulation.

The International Year of Glass helps UN member states and all who participate in the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development to help achieve sustainable development in three dimensions: economic, social, and environmental. The UN asks its member states to: advance innovative pathways to achieving sustainable consumption and production promote sustainable consumer behavior, including glass reuse and recycling

and to use educational programmes and museum exhibitions to bring together the threads of technology, social history, and art.

“We commend the University of Lagos for hosting this year’s International Year of Glass and we hope more research on the use of glass for sustainable development will be done. We also enjoined the private sectors present to see the importance of glass, provide funds to researchers to promote good practices and for climate action,” he said.

According to the Chair, Board of Trustees, Arcline Beehive Design Foundation (ABDF), Adeolu Okulaja, the United Nations General Assembly declared 2022 as the International Year of Glass (IYOG) after organisations submitted petitions in March, 2021. On May 18 during a plenary meeting, Spain’s representative introduced the text and described glass as a “biomaterial par excellence,” born thousands of years ago in the cradle of civilization. According to the U.N., celebrations during the year will help advance the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) agenda. The SDGs aim to create a more fair, peaceful and sustainable world for the planet and its inhabitants by 2030.

Okulaja said, “Arcline Beehive Design Foundation partnering with the United Nations Information Center in Nigeria, Lagos State Ministry of Environment and Water Resources and the University of Lagos, Akoka Lagos is conducting a series of events to create awareness, and promote the use of Glass as a sustainable building material. 

“In a world constrained by varieties of environmental pressures, glass is one of the most recyclable materials; it has a variety of roles in reducing greenhouse gas emissions such as energy saving coatings, double/triple glazing and solar cells, it is made from widely available materials and is contributing to major improvements in our health.

“The Year 2022 will celebrate the essential role Glass has and will continue to have in Society. It will underline the technological, scientific and economic importance of this often- unseen transparent and enabling material which underpins so many technologies and which can facilitate the development of more just and sustainable societies to meet the challenges of globalization. It is also an important medium for art and its history is integral with that of humankind.

“The general public is encouraged to participate in the year-long multifaceted celebration, which will successfully encompass a truly international audience and empower a bright future for glass.”