Expert charges universities to reinvigorate new vision for funding
Dennis Udo-Udoma, Uyo
Nigerian Universities have been charged to reinvigorate new vision in the funding of their institutions rather than their aspirations on the government’s.
Former Group Chief Human Resources Manager, Dangote Group, Mr. Usen Ekong Udoh gave the charge at the 3rd Registry Distinguished Lecture of Akwa Ibom State University, Ikot Akpaden, Mkpat Enin Local Government Area on Friday.
Udoh, who spoke as the guest speaker on the theme, “The Future of Universities in Nigeria: The Paradigm Shift in Funding” explained that, the original idea behind tertiary education was to produce graduates that are more viable, who in turn would impact on individuals and the society at large as elites and leading solution providers.
He advised that, universities should be concerned and striving to make education more accessible, life-long and skilled-based than enmeshing in the traditional model.
According to him, “in thinking about the future, of universities, (tertiary education), in Nigeria, we should start, not from funding, but from the vision of what value we (academicians) should be seeking to deliver.
“How do we prepare our students to do jobs that don’t even exist yet? For challenges we can’t even imagine yet? Exactly, how do we make them ready to compete world-wide in industries and with business models that haven’t even been invented yet? In my view, that’s where we should be starting the conversation.
“How often have we heard that the graduates we are producing from our Nigerian Universities are neither ready, nor even fit for purpose? How many seminar papers have spoken to the disconnect between the academia and the needs of the market place”.
Udoh, who is also the
Business and Human Resources Strategy Thought Leader of YF Talent Partners, Lagos suggested that, for the universities to remain relevant to the future, they need to evolve much more effective blending of the current traditional education model with new models that deliver life-long, skilled-based training that is available to people at any point in their lives.
“We need to creatively use technology to expand our educational offerings to be less expensive, to work around people’s work, careers and family lives, and to reach people who are not fortunate enough to live in an area where they have access to top scholars and top universities.
Mr. Udoh, however urged the universities to think out of the box by partnering other institutions, industries, individuals, educational NGO’s national/international and communities to generate funding as government’s may not solely be realizable.
He observed also that, since 2006, there has been a steady decline in government funding of universities in Europe and North America. The result being a drive for each university to significantly increase it’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) and granting of autonomy to these schools to operate themselves at their most efficient, while staying within set guidelines and standards.
The guest speaker appreciated the university for granting him the opportunity to contribute at the lecture.
High point of the event was the presentation of honorary awards of excellence and meritorious service to the institution’s former Registrar, Mr. John E. Udoh and the Keynote Speaker and Chairman/General Manager, Network Exploration and Production Limited, Chief Timothy O. Olagbende.
