Taking into account the reform in the University, coupled with the responsibility entrusted to the institution by the Government, AAU has recently welcomed a new vision of becoming a pre-eminent research university in Africa. As a result, research has been given a new organizational platform under a new direction and new set of policy framework. The change at AAU underscores that research should proactively respond to the national demand of generating and disseminating new knowledge and technology, strengthening and developing the capacity of students in contemporary science and technology. The new research policy stipulates research shall be conducted in the most cost-effective and responsive manner, and be interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary in its scope, and thematic in its approach.

AAU has gone through a series of changes, reorganizations and transformations cognizant of the current demands to keep abreast of the changes and strategic directions imposed by internal and external conditions in order to ensure its relevance and effectiveness in executing its strategic functions. The services it has been rendering in the training of high level skilled manpower and professionals in various key areas of development and the research outputs are unprecedented. Until recently, AAU has been the only source of highly qualified professionals and it was engaged in an integrated basic and applied scientific research in broad academic areas.

Among the series of structural changes aimed at improving its institutional and operational qualities so as to enable it to live up to its name and standard, the one that took place very recently after a prolonged Business Process Reengineering (BPR) is by far the most profound. The inputs, outputs, performance gaps, desired outcomes and stretched objectives of the reengineering process are outlined in a separate Research Booklet available at the Office for Research and Technology Transfer. Among the many changes brought about as a result of this reorganization and transformation plan was the upgrading of the research office to the level of vice president and the inclusion of technology transfer as an important wing of the office. These changes are anticipated to offer efficient and enabling situations for the University to enhance its transformational agenda in line with its vision, missions, and goals.

Strategic objectives to guide research and technology transfer at AAU

Create an enabling, harmonious, transparent and efficient environment for the development of competitive research projects, execution of research and transfer of innovations and technologies;
Strengthen research management and coordination by guiding the development and execution of research in an organized way as thematic research, small grants research, graduate and collaborative research;
Ensure the relevance of researches undertaken within AAU, making them relevant and akin to the Growth and Transformation Plan (GTP) of the country;
Enhance research and publications culture among junior staff and students;
Improve funding for research and generation of new technologies and innovations and disseminate research findings and effectively transfer new technologies;
Improve the gender responsiveness of the University through research, innovations and technology incubation.