Mountain Top University (MTU) has reiterated its commitment as a faith-guided, excellence-driven university to scholarship that serves God and humanity, by turning knowledge into impact, research into solutions, and talent into nation-building.

The Vice-Chancellor of MTU, Professor Elijah Ayolabi, made these known in a welcome address during the 4th Annual Conference of the College of Basic and Applied Sciences (CBAS) with the theme, “Science and Innovation in the Intelligent Age for Inclusive and Sustainable National Development,” held at Mountain Top University, Ibafo, Ogun State.

Ayolabi revealed that MTU choose excellence with integrity, speed with safety, intelligence with inclusion, and ambition with accountability. He explained that excellence without ethics becomes exploitation; speed without stewardship becomes waste; while intelligence without inclusion becomes inequality.

The Annual Conference of the College of Basic and Applied Sciences brings together distinguished scholars, researchers, and industry professionals from diverse disciplines to exchange ideas, share discoveries, and deliberate on emerging scientific issues.

This year’s theme, “Science and Innovation in the Intelligent Age for Inclusive and Sustainable National Development,” underscores the University’s vision to foster research that addresses contemporary challenges and drives national progress.

Speaking further on the theme of the conference, the Vice Chancellor said it is urgent in a bid to ensure that science and innovation lift everyone, protect the planet, and build a future fit for the children.

He explained that the world lives in an intelligent age, algorithms collaborate with artisans; sensors speak to soil and water; medical diagnostics sit in the backpack; materials re-imagine buildings; satellites guide farmers; and data whispers patterns that save lives.

He emphasised that Mountain Top University is a faith-based institution with a divine mandate to nurture minds, inspire innovation, and uphold values that reflect the will of God across all spheres of learning and research.

According to him, every academic endeavour at MTU is designed not only to expand intellectual capacity but also to serve as a conduit through which God’s purpose for humanity is realised.

He urged participants to be purpose-driven and strategic in pursuing ideas, innovations, and policies capable of transforming lives and communities. He encouraged all attendees to consistently seek ways to translate knowledge into tangible, practical solutions that contribute meaningfully to society.

In his welcome speech, the host and Dean, College of Basic and Applied Sciences (CBAS), Professor Edwin Andrew Ofudje, said the outcome of the conference will foster interdisciplinary collaboration among researchers, industries, and policymakers for translating scientific findings into real-world solutions, generate actionable insights on how emerging technologies can promote inclusive growth, sustainability, and national resilience, inspire young scientists and innovators to embrace creativity, ethics, and responsibility in the pursuit of discovery, strengthen the research culture at Mountain Top University, encouraging high-impact studies, publications, and innovations that align with global standards as well as build sustainable partnerships between academia, industry, and government for driving science-led national development.

Ofudje said science and innovation are not mere academic disciplines, but are the lifeblood of transformation. From renewable energy to artificial intelligence, from agricultural biotechnology to data-driven governance, science remains the instrument by which societies create wealth, preserve the environment, and improve human well-being.

He reaffirms MTU’s commitment to raising men and women of excellence scholars who combine scientific ingenuity with moral integrity, and innovators whose discoveries will drive the nation toward sustainable advancement.

His words: “Our focus is to be a world-class university driven by people of integrity, upholding excellence through effective learning and research. Our mandate is to provide a conducive learning environment, raising morally sound and academically excellent graduates with a vision for global impact.”