Industry professionals have stressed the need for effective collaboration between critical stakeholders in the country, adding only then can university education in Nigeria be successfully re-focused for creativity and nation-building.
They maintain that there is need for a sincere partnership comprising Academia-Industry and Government to fill all identified gaps in the input-process-output of the university quality paradigm of analysis.
Suleiman Ramon-Yusuf, deputy executive secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC) said universities must be strategic to carry out effective teaching-learning, Research and community engagement, as it will help Nigeria to truly be on her way towards technological and socio-economic development, self-sufficiency, poverty reduction, wealth creation and global competitiveness.
Ramon-Yusuf made this known over the weekend while delivering a lecture at the maiden matriculation ceremony of Trinity University, Yaba, Lagos, titled ‘Re-focusing the Nigerian University System for creativity and Nation-Building’.
He said any meaningful attempt at refocusing university education for creativity and nation-building should have as its backdrop the skills and competence requirement dictated by the future of jobs as technologies can drive business growth, job creation and demand for specialists skills.
According to Ramon-Yusuf, “To prepare the Nigerian University System for productivity and innovation requires a seismic shift in the delivery modality and a massive expansion of the research mission of Nigerian universities underpinned by massive investment in research and innovation to bolster the provision of resources for university researchers and a major shift in incentive structures and the curricula with profound emphasis on STEM”.
“There is need to ensure injection of liberal arts concepts and content in STEM curricula with ample doses of interpersonal skills and interdisciplinary curriculum to build student capacity for collaboration and social interaction within STEM curriculum”.
He further opines that there the need for new attitudes towards teaching, so that old ways of teaching, which perpetuate the status quo and unproductive university system, do not prevail. Universities, then, can shape and inculcate these new ways of thinking through effective teaching.
Charles Ayo, vice chancellor, Trinity University while addressing the 13 matriculating students opines that the mission of the newly licensed citadel of learning is to equip students with knowledge, skills, attitudes, competencies and values through quality teaching, learning and research, thus creating effective change agents and value-adding members of the society.
On his part, Samuel Olatunji, pro-chancellor and chairman of Council of the institute reiterates that Trinity University is not just another University but rather, a university setting out to breed graduates equipped with a certificate that is a statement of excellence in learning, in character, in competence and in contribution to humanity.
KELECHI EWUZIE
