By Sodiq Adelakun
University of Lagos Professor of Civil Engineering, Funso Falade, has emphasised the importance of academics proactively identifying products or services to market in order to supplement their income and reduce stress.
Speaking at his exaugural lecture titled “The Beginning and End of a Project,” Falade highlighted the need for lecturers to establish good relationships with their students, as they can provide valuable networking opportunities in the future.
He also addressed the financial challenges faced by academics, stating that their take-home pay is insufficient. Falade called for increased collaboration among faculty members and urged the government to allocate more funds to education to improve infrastructure in educational institutions.
Additionally, he emphasised the importance of utilizing research findings and local materials in development projects. The lecture took place at the University of Lagos’ Rahaman Adisa Bello Auditorium.
He said, “As lecturers, we need to be good to our students, you may find
out that the gap between you and your students is not as much as you think.
“Many of them transform at an alarming rate after graduation within a short space of time. Your students can provide good networking platforms for you in the future.
“The major challenge that we have as academics is that our take-home pay cannot take us home. This has been the trend since I joined academics. Complaints cannot fill the gaps.
“There is a need for faculty members to collaborate with other faculty members within and outside their faculties.
“Government at all levels needs to increase budgetary allocations to education to allow for improvement in the provision of infrastructural facilities in primary, secondary and tertiary institutions.
Falade, who bowed out of UNILAG on Thursday, has received several prestigious awards for his contributions to engineering education and research. In 2005 and 2010, he was recognized as UNILAG’s best researcher in the Faculty of Engineering.
In 2010, he won the National Universities Commission (NUC) individual Award in Science and Technology (Research) at the Nigeria Universities Research and Development Fair.
In 2016, he received the International Federation of Engineering Education Societies (IFEES) 10th Anniversary Leadership Award for his contributions to global engineering education. Prof. Falade is also a teacher at the Redeemed Christian Bible College in Lagos. He played a significant role in establishing the African Engineering Education Association (AEEA) and served as its founding and current President.
He was also a Vice-President of IFEES and a member of the Governing Board of the International Centre for Engineering Education. In 2013, he initiated the African Engineering Dean’s Council. Prof. Falade has been actively involved in organizing engineering conferences and has coordinated conferences in South Africa and Tanzania.