A university don and former Vice Chancellor of Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State, Prof. Ganiyu Olatunde, has postulated that university stakeholders form part of the university’s development chain.
Prof. Olatunde spoke during the third Registry Annual Lecture of the Osun State University, which was held at the university’s main campus, Oke-Baale, Osogbo, on Wednesday.
In a lecture titled “Current Trends in Synergising the Roles of Different Stakeholders in Enhancing University Development,” Prof. Olatunde said: “Stakeholders in the university system consist of students, faculty staff, university administration, alumni, parents and families, governing boards, governmental organisations, industry partners, community members, donors and philanthropists, accrediting agencies and non-profit organisations.”
In classifying their roles, he said, they are crucial in facilitating the expansion and achievement of the institution.
These roles, according to him, include “feedback providers, active participation in governance, ambassadors and representatives, advocate for change, partners in research and economic contributors.”
Prof. Olatunde advised universities to always stick to the accreditation regulations provided by the Nigerian Universities Commission, NUC, rather than those provided by professional bodies.
He said: “When I was a Vice Chancellor, and when the professional bodies wrote us requiring us to design our curriculum in line with their own, I just tossed such a request aside.
“If we see that their persuasion is too much, we take the matter to the National Universities Commission, NUC. It is NUC that will call such bodies and caution them.
“I always tell them to allow us to educate the students and when they graduate, they can now make them conform to their system.”
In his remark, the chairman of the occasion and Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Adewale Egbedun, affirmed that no university could function in isolation.
Represented by Adewumi Adeyemi, the lawmaker representing Obokun state constituency, Egbedun called on government and academia to work together to fashion a way forward for the university system.
He stressed the need for synergy between stakeholders for UNIOSUN to rise.
He commended the university’s vice chancellor, Prof. Odunayo Clement Adeboye, for making the institution a catalyst for formal change.
The Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Adeboye, revealed that his tenure as VC has brought about numerous changes.
He challenged the registry staff to guide the university management all the time.
“There is a need for discretion and secrecy among registry staff,” he stated.
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