Episode 4 of ASMN 5.0 (Relevance of Partnership and Collaboration)

Focal Point: Relevance of Partnership and Collaboration for Professional Advancement

Host: Prof Evans Osabuohien

Facilitators:  Dr Patience Tunji-Olayeni & Dr Judith Ani

What’s in it for you?

In this episode, we will explore how strategic partnerships can help you grow in your career, business, and research. You’ll learn practical ways to build and maintain successful collaborations, develop trust, and align goals for mutual benefit. We’ll also discuss how partnerships can open doors to funding, resource sharing, and innovation, allowing you to expand your impact and create sustainable opportunities.

We’ll dive into real-life experiences and success stories, showing you how to overcome challenges, manage risks, and sustain long-term collaborations. Whether you’re a researcher, entrepreneur, or social impact leader, this session will equip you with the right tools to maximise the power of teamwork.

Bonus and Benefits

• Practical strategies for building and sustaining successful collaborations.
• Insights into leveraging partnerships for funding and resource-sharing opportunities.
• Stronger networks and potential for future collaborations.

Meet the Facilitators

Dr Patience Tunji-Olayeni is a Quantity Surveyor and Senior Lecturer in the Department of Building Technology at Covenant University, Nigeria. She is also a Senior Associate Research Fellow at the Department of Construction Management and Quantity Surveying at the University of Johannesburg, South Africa and a Visiting Scholar at the Ruhr West University of Applied Sciences, Mulheim, Germany. Her research cuts across construction education, construction management, sustainable construction, construction 4.0 & 5.0 and gender in construction. She has authored over 100 peer reviewed articles in her area of research and an edited book of chapters. Patience is a recipient of the Chancellor of Covenant University Award for Exceptional Research in 2018 and the University of the Free State (UFS) Post-Doctoral Research Fellowship in 2019. She currently serves as the Coordinator, Grants, Scholarships, Awards and Fellowships (GSAF) at the Covenant University Centre for Research Innovation and Discovery (CUCRID), and a member of the DIaDeRC Advisory Board. She is the Chair of the Regional Centre of Expertise (RCE) Ogun, a United Nations-Accredited Centre which serves as a learning hub for sustainable practices, and the Convener of Women Academics in Construction (WAiC), a capacity-building network for women academics and postgraduate students in the built environment. She is also the Covenant University Team Lead in the Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) Project between the Ruhr West University of Applied Sciences, Mulheim, Germany and Covenant University. Patience serves as a reviewer for several reputable international journals and also as a postgraduate supervisor and external examiner within and outside Nigeria. She has supervised 4 masters and 2 PhD students and has secured about €400,000 in research grants. Her vision is to transform the research landscape in Africa by raising a new generation of researchers in the built environment.

Dr Judith Ani holds a PhD from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. Her career began in the financial sector before transitioning to work on a Ford Foundation-funded project focused on advocacy and capacity building for HIV/AIDS education in Nigeria. She has also served on a short-term consultancy in related research with some local and international organisations. During her undergraduate years, Dr. Ani volunteered at the LAPO Institute, where she later became the Research and Development Manager. She is a lecturer at the Institute, teaching subjects such as Sociology and Research Methods. Passionate about making a difference, she founded the Education and Research for Sustainable Development, supporting vulnerable individuals in urban and rural communities. Through this initiative, she has provided vital information and awareness on topics such as cancer, gender-based violence, and girl-child education. Dr Ani has received awards and fellowships from prestigious institutions, including CODESRIA’s MRI Grant and the African-German Network of Excellence in Science (AGNES) Grant.

Register HERE for FREE before 27th April 2025 to secure a space.  

For more information, please contact us via email: info@diaderc.org and programs@diaderc.org

Check Other Episodes in ASMN 5.0 HERE