Dons and students took time off to commemorate this year's Commonwealth Day with science-oriented discussions.

The University of Buea (UB) joined the rest of the country and the international community to mark the 2010 Commonwealth Day, 9 March, under the theme: "Science, Technology and Society." Godlove Akabinda, a student of Political Science read out the Commonwealth Secretary General's address on the occasion.

Unfolding activities at their 750 C hall under the chairmanship of Vice Chancellor Professor Vincent Titanji, students and lecturers invested their knowledge and worries over "climate change", "drug discovery", "emerging infectious diseases", "renewable energy", and "spatial display of data for resource management"

Through a panel rendition, Professor Samuel Ayonghe addressed concerns of climate change showing the various technological means of monitoring natural phenomena including "remote sensing", which the UB is privileged to have. Dr. Fidelis Cho Ngwa discussed the molecule (medicine) industry highlighting the financial wealth embedded in it, should a country like Cameroon produce its own. He drew similes from some countries that have succeeded in the domain whereby one drug could yield income superseding Cameroon's yearly budget. Dr. David Afungchui dwelled on renewable energy opening the eyes for new possibilities such as "crust energy", "windy energy", "biomass energy", "ethanol energy" among others. Dr. Lucy Ndip spoke on emerging infectious diseases underscoring "influenza" with some of its forms sparked by climate change.

In all, the experts underscored that the best forms of innovations are those that unite the world and that progress must be sustained and shared. They said the Commonwealth, of 53 member- countries numbering 1.8 billion people on the planet earth with over 60 Associations, seeks to build consensus around the world for better economies, education, housing, good water provision and good governance. The Vice Chancellor explained that the number of scientific publications in UB has doubled, not without the support of the Commonwealth.