Last Sunday was the United Nations UN International Mother Language Day which I celebrated with friends and colleagues on the Lancaster University Recirculate Project.
I gave a simple challenge that folks should translate the phrase 'Go with the Flow' in their mother tongue, write it out with the project's hashtag and the attached is the collage of what we got.
Interesting though that even within Igbo language of Nigeria for instance, there were different translations of the same phrase and this got me thinking. Every researcher has a voice which must be heard but of what significance is a voice that cannot be understood and of what impact is a language that can be understood but cannot be communicated?
As I host an international webinar on the Participate Program tomorrow, Wednesday 24th February at 11am UK Time, on 'how researchers can best communicate their work', come and learn the principles of writing a blog, producing a documentary, writing a policy brief or a creative piece so that you can be better understood by a lot more people than your usual crew.
Register here - https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/participate-with-recirculate-international-research-communication-webinar-tickets-138932293229
Or just join directly using this link - https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/ap/t-59584e83/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fteams.microsoft.com%2Fl%2Fmeetup-join%2F19%253ameeting_NDIxOTdjOWMtNDgwNC00ZmRjLWI5OWEtOGYyZjAxN2EyMGYz%2540thread.v2%2F0%3Fcontext%3D%257b%2522Tid%2522%253a%25229c9bcd11-977a-4e9c-a9a0-bc734090164a%2522%252c%2522Oid%2522%253a%25224798dfed-f852-472e-bc92-650bf8c1d095%2522%257d&data=04%7C01%7Ca.odon%40lancaster.ac.uk%7Cb76269323b93452a07da08d8d71ca3c3%7C9c9bcd11977a4e9ca9a0bc734090164a%7C0%7C0%7C637495865295559687%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=kibkSa%2FKn%2FOaowpsXstwxkIztTdChk0uhwopt%2F2SMvM%3D&reserved=0
#leadership #communication #management #recirculaters # #people #researchers RECIRCULATE GCRF
WE DON’T UNDERSTAND!!
Distinguished Professor,
Enlightened Academic & Researcher,
No!! don't look behind!! I am talking to you sir. Yes you Ma!! That's it. 😊
Your worth is invaluable and your capacity is incredible. You search the depths of unresolved issues with a flair and bring hidden truths and revelations to bare.
In Africa, the measure of your prowess is the number & ranking of your research publications. In fact, it is the reason for your promotions. You are the foundation of development and the summation of enlightenment.
But who else can read and actually understand those research publications besides your fellow professors and researchers?
Governments officials have the power to make the change you seek but only understand policy briefs. Industry execs have the funding you need but only understand products and impact. Society have the problems you try to solve but only understand blogs, tweets and community language.
What if every African researcher could write a blog, a business report and a policy brief alongside their research papers?
Join me as I chat with the amazing @ugochigreenangle on IG Live today and an international webinar for the Participate Program on 'how researchers can best communication their work - February 24th at 11am UK Time. See flyers for details. #communication #talk #impact #research
Before COVID, I earned when I travelled and it was fun but since then I have been blessed to earn from behind my laptop but it came at a cost of investing in self and knowing what to do.
Then I spent some time last year developing different partnerships to make international programs accessible and affordable to Africans and you will be hearing more about these.
For now, if you want an international scholarship for an international MBA onto one of the most practical and affordable MBA's in Europe designed for Africans - The Real World Skills MBA for the Future of Africa from Zürich Elite Business School (ZEBS) Switzerland.
Drop by for a chat tomorrow, Saturday 13th February at 2.30pm UK time using the zoom link -
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81530795073?pwd=T1JoRmhDeG9nOExSZTVYcFJ4ZmliUT09
Meeting ID: 815 3079 5073
Passcode: 020598
I will be joined by Prof Adonis Fragkakis, the President of Zürich Elite Business School and Mr Vassilis Kazazakis, Manager at Google and Alumni at ZEBS.
The RWS MBA is taught by global industry experts, complete in 10 to 12 months, win a fellowship with seed capital to start your business upon completion and so much more. Don't miss the webinar!!!!
Today I celebrate my PhD Supervisor, Prof Kirk Semple Kirk Semple of Lancaster University for picking up an amazing award!!
I finished my PhD at Lancaster University some 14 years ago and in that period, my supervisor has changed his status from a supervisor to a colleague, to a brother and a friend. Now that's saying a lot and those who understand, truly understand.
I was his first African PhD student and after that he has supervised over 30 African PhD students till date by his design and requests. He is a Scotsman (he is very particular about this fact), this a clear love for Africa. Do you know that Prof Kirk Semple has published more international research papers about pollution and recovery in the Nigerian oil and gas industry than several Nigerian academics because of the partnership between him and his PhD students.
How often does a Nigerian researcher write a research proposal and considers a partnership with a Kenyan researcher and vice versa? Understanding the principles of partnerships in research!!!!
This week, my good friend Kirk, won the International Impact Staff Award at Lancaster University because of his incredible work in Africa. Those annoying early morning airport taxi drop-offs, those luggage drags down terminals, those fights about Nigerian and Ghana Jollof rice and times away from family. It's all paying off in the end. See story here - https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/lec/about-us/news/building-relationships-to-change-the-world
Congratulations boss!!!
That is my sad face!!!!
If you are African and you still manage to make a head way as a student or professionally in the midst of the imbalance, kudos to you. It is not fair game...........and it's why I love what I do. Trying to bridge little gaps in little ways.
According to Internet World Stats, at the end of 2019 Africa had the lowest internet penetration rate at 39.3%. Compare this to Europe and North America, with the highest penetration rates of 87.2% and 94.6%, respectively.
African countries spend about 1.1% of GDP on digital investment, while advanced economies spend an average of 3.2%. Talk of a digital divide. Increased dependence on digital structures due to COVID has just made this even worse. Therein lies the monster opportunities!!!!
Meanwhile, the probability of employment—regardless of education level—increases by 6.9 to 13.2 percent when fast internet becomes available, as it facilitates firm entry and boosts productivity.
If you are an international company, institution or organisation interested in Africa and its capacity for digitisation, and you do not understand localisation, it's a clear show of marginalisation.
What is worth doing at all, is worth doing well!!!!
#communication #integrity #africa #leadership #opportunities #covid_19
Happy new month friends and partners.
Last month ended on a great note as working with Lancaster University, we won a new British Council Digital University Africa grant fund to develop an online programme on Stimulating Entrepreneurship Thinking in Scientist (SETS) for Africa.
This is to provide a robust online program to help African researchers and academics become resourceful, enterprising and solutions-oriented beyond just publishing of research papers for promotion.
There are models, strategies, politics, and even secrets of winning international funding. This month I am giving training sessions on how to source, apply and win international funding. If you want to book a session for your institution, company or organisation, send an email to akan.odon@envirofly-group.com
To register for the incredible and heavily subsidised Real-World Skills MBA from Zürich Elite Business School - https://www.flexylearn.com/rws-mba/
If you want free access to my international best seller career book, the Graduate Code, See details below:
1. Click link https://study.flexylearn.com/course-summary/superuserb7b3e6e7bfba16615d6303a8a17b9bb2
2. Click Sign-up, register and go back to link and log in.
3. Click Start Course, view e-book.
So many Africans would love to do an MBA but international MBA's are pretty expensive - ranging from 10,000 USD to 100,000 USD and even more.
Others have done an MBA but it was theoretical, un-related to the African business environment and have now become just a nice title to have.
Working in partnership with the Zürich Elite Business School (ZEBS), we have developed one of the most practical and affordable international MBA programmes for Africans.
At a heavily subsidised fee of just 2500 USD with a scholarship for every student, the Real-World Skills (RWS) MBA for the Future of Africa, is the hottest program around.
With seven incredible modules delivered by global industry experts from Europe, America and Africa, complete between 10 and 12 months and gain a competitive advantage in this new era.
Register here https://www.flexylearn.com/rws-mba/ within one week and get an automatic 1,000 USD scholarship. Please share with friends...
Hurry now!!!! For more information check the flyer
Hurray!!! I am 41 today.
Today is my birthday as my family woke me up with a birthday song. Even though we are still on lockdown, it took some doing for them to surprise me which they most definitely did.
It's amazing to celebrate another year with family and with endless messages pouring in from friends. I am humbled, grateful and blessed to be relevant in the land of the living.
Thanks for all you are and what you do for me. I am forever in your debt and pray the good Lord's blessings on you all.
As a little gift from me, you can get free access to my international best selling career development book, The Graduate Code and hope it inspires you as much as it inspired me when I wrote it. See details below:
1. Click link https://study.flexylearn.com/course-summary/superuserb7b3e6e7bfba16615d6303a8a17b9bb2
2. Click Sign-up, register and go back to link and log in with your details.
3. Click Start Course, view e-book.
It expires in one week😊😊😊😊